archive.org · 2009. 11. 17. · PREFACE Thefollowingpagesaredesignedtogiveahistorical...

m^'mM-

^M"i0':''A-§

HABT MEMORIAL

LIBRARY

RNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

ENGLISH COLLECTION

THE GIFT OF

JAMES MORGAN HARTPROFESSOR OF KNGUSII

DATE DUE

Cornell University

Library

The original of tiiis book is in

tine Cornell University Library.

There are no known copyright restrictions in

the United States on the use of the text.

http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924032321618

YALE STUDIES IN ENGLISH

ALBERT S. COOK, Editor

XVI

THE TRANSLATIONS OF BEOWULF

A CRITICAL BIBLIOGRAPHY

BY

CHAUNCEY B. TINKERASSOCIATE IN ENGLISH AT BRYN MAWR COLLEGE

A PORTION OF A THESIS PRESENTED TO THE PHILOSOPHICALFACULTY OF YALE UNIVERSITY IN CANDIDACY FOR

THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

M-yfM Pni/fMtn.

NEW YORK

HENRY HOLT AND COMPANY

1903wE.V.

Mr

OXFORDHORACE HART, PRINTER TO THE UNIVERSITY

PREFACEThe following pages are designed to give a historical

and critical account of all that has been done in the way

of translating Beowulf from the earliest attempts of Sharon

Turner in 1 805 down to the present time. As a corollary

to this, it -presents a history of the text of the poem to

the time of the publication of Grein's Bibliothek der angel-

s'dchsischen Poesie in 1859 ; for until the publication of this

work every editor of the poem was also its translator.

It is hoped that the essay may prove useful as a contri-

bution to bibliography, and serve as a convenient reference

book for those in search of information regarding the value

of texts and translations of Beowulf.

The method of treating the various books is, in general,

the same. I have tried to give in each case an accurate

bibliographical description of the volume, a notion of the

value of the text used in making it, &c. But the emphasis

given to these topics has necessarily varied from time to

time. In discussing literal translationsj for example, much

attention has been paid to the value of the text, while

little or nothing is said of the value of the rendering as

literature. On the other hand, in the case of a book which

is literary in aim, the attention paid to the critical value

of the book is comparatively small. At certain periods

in the history of the poem, the chief value of a translation

is its utility as a part of the critical apparatus for the

A a

4 Preface

interpretation of the poem ; at other periods, a translation

lays claim to our attention chiefly as imparting the literary

features of the original.

In speaking of the translations which we may call literary,

I have naturally paid most attention to the English versions,

and this for several reasons. In the first place, Beowulf is

an English poem ; secondly, the number, variety, and im-

portance of the English translations warrant this emphasis

;

thirdly, the present writer is unable to discuss in detail

the literary and metrical value of translations in foreign

tongues. The account given of German, Dutch, Danish,

Swedish, French, and Italian versions is, therefore, of a

more strictly bibliographical nature ; but, whenever possible,

some notion has been given of the general critical opinion

with regard to them.

An asterisk is placed before the titles of books which the

present writer has not seen.

My thanks are due to the officials of the Library of

Yale University, who secured for me many of the volumes

here described; to Professor Ewald Fliigel of Leland

Stanford Junior University, who kindly lent me certain

transcripts made for him at the British Museum ; and to

Mr. Edward Thorstenberg, Instructor in Swedish at Yale

University, for help in reading the Danish and Swedish

translations.

July, 1902.

TABLE OF CONTENTSPAGE

Preliminary Remarks on the Beowulf Manuscript . 7

Sharon Turner's Extracts 9

Thorkelin's Edition 15

Grundtvig's Translation 22

conybeare's extracts 28

Kemble's Edition 33

Ettmuller's Translation 37

Schaldemose's Translation 1 .41Wackerbarth's Translation 45

Thorpe's Edition 49

Grein's Translation 55

Simrock's Translation 59

Heyne's Translation ... .... 63

VON Wolzogen's Translation 68

Arnold's Edition 71

BoTKiNE's Translation 75

Lumsden's Translation 79

Garnett's Translation 83

Grion's Translation 87

WicKBERG's Translation 90

Earle's Translation 91

J. L. Hall's Translation 95

Hoffmann's Translation 99

Morris and Wyatt's Translation 104

Simons's Translation 109

Steineck's Translation 112

J, R. Clark Hall's Translation 114

Tinker's Translation 118

Contents

APPENDIX I

INCOMPLETE TRANSLATIONS, AND PARAPHRASES

PAGELeo's Digest 121

Sandras's Account 123

E. H. Jones's Paraphrase 123

Zinsser's Selection 126

Gibe's Paraphrase 128

Wagner and MacDowall's Paraphrase . . . .130

Therese Dahn's Paraphrase 132

Stopford Brooke's Selections 135

Miss Ragozin's Paraphrase 138

A. J. Church's Paraphrase 141

Miss Thomson's Paraphrase 143

APPENDIX II

A Bibliography of Works which translate Selections

FROM 'Beowulf' into English 146

APPENDIX III

TWO WORKS NAMED 'BEOWULF'

I. Manno's Romance 148

II. S. H, Church's Poem 148

Index of Translators 149

THETRANSLATIONS OF BEOWULF

PRELIMINARY REMARKS ON THEBEOWULF MANUSCRIPT

The unique manuscript of the Beowulf is preserved in

the Cottonian Library of the British Museum. It is

contained in the folio designated Cotton Vitellius A. xv,

where it occurs ninth in order, filling the folios numbered

139 a to X98 b, inclusive.

The first recorded notice of the MS. is to be found in

Wanley's Catalog of Anglo-Saxon Manuscripts (Oxford,

1705), Volume III of Hickes's Thesaurus. The poem is

thus described :

—

'Tractatus nobilissimus PoeticS scriptus. Praefationis hoc est ini-

tium.'

The first nineteen lines follow, transcribed with a few

errors.

' Initium autem primi Capitis sic se habet.'

Lines S'^-'JJ,, transcribed with a few errors.

' In hoc libro, qui Poeseos Anglo-Saxonicas egregiuta est exemplum,

descripta videntur bella quag Beowulfus quidam Danus, ex Regio

Scyldingorum stirpe Ortus, gessit contra Suecias Regulos.' Page 218,

col. b, and 219, col. a.

No further notice was taken of the MS. until 1786,

when Thorkelin^ made two transcripts of it.

In 1 731 there occurred a disastrous fire which destroyed

a number of the Cottonian MSS. The Beowulf MS.suffered at this time, its edges being scorched and its

pages shriveled. As a result, the edges have chipped

* See infra, p. 16.

8 The Translations of Beowulf

away, and some of the readings have been lost. It does

not appear, however, that these losses are of so great

importance as the remarks of some prominent Old English

scholars might lead us to suspect. Their remarks give

the impression that the injury which the MS. received in

the fire accounts for practically all of the illegible lines.

That this is not so may be seen by comparing the Wanley

transcript with the Zupitza Autotypes. Writing in 1705,

before the Cotton fire, Wanley found two illegible words

at line 15—illegible because of fading and rubbing. Ofexactly the same nature appear to be the injuries at

lines 3*20 ff., the celebrated passage which is nearly, if not

quite, unintelligible. It would therefore be a safe assump-

tion that such injuries as these happened to the MS.before it became a part of the volume, Vitellius A. xv.

The injuries due to scorching and burning are seldom of

the first importance.

This point is worth noting. Each succeeding scholar

who transcribed the MS., eager to recommend his work,

dwelt upon the rapid deterioration of the parchment, andthe reliability of his own readings as exact reproduc-

tions of what he himself had seen in the MS. before it

reached its present ruinous state. The result of this wasthat the emendations of the editor were sometimes accepted

by scholars and translators as the authoritative readings of

the MS., when in reality they were nothing but gratuitous

additions. This is especially true of Thorpe^, and the

false readings which he introduced were never got rid of

until the Zupitza Autotypes brought to light the sins of the

various editors of the poem. These statements regard-

ing text and MS. will be developed in the following

sections of the paper ^-

' See infra, p. 49.^ See infra on Thorkelin, p. 19; Conybeare, p. 29 ; Kemble, p. r>A-

Thorpe, p. SI ; Arnold, p. 72.

SHARON TURNER'S EXTRACTS

The History of the Manners, Landed Property, Govern-

ment, Laws, Poetry, Literature, Religion, and Language of

the Anglo-Saxons. By Sharon Turner, FA.S. London :

Longman, Hurst, Rees, & Orme, 1805.

Being Volume IV of the History of the Anglo-Saxonsfrom their earliest appearance above the Elbe, etc. London,

1799-1805. 8», pp. 398-408.

Second Edition, corrected and enlarged. London

:

Longman, Hurst, Rees, & Orme, 1807. 3 vols., 4°.

jS^oze/^^ described, Vol. II, pp. 294-303.

Third Edition. London, 1830.

Fourth Edition. London, 1833.

Fifth Edition. (1837 ?)

Sixth Edition. London, 1836.

Seventh Edition. London, 1852.

Reprints: Paris, 1840; Philadelphia, 1841.

Translation of Extracts from the first two Parts.

Points of Difference between the Various Editions.

A part of this may be stated in the words of the

author :

—

' The poem had remained untouched and unnoticed both here and

abroad until I observed its curious contents, and in 1805 announced it

to the public. I could then give it only a hasty perusal, and from the

MS. having a leaf interposed near its commencement, which belonged

to a subsequent part, and from the peculiar obscurity which sometimes

attends the Saxon poetry, I did not at that time sufiSciently comprehend

it, and had not leisure to apply a closer attention. But in the year

1818 I took it up again, as I was preparing my third edition, and then

made that more correct analysis which was inserted in that and the

subsequent editions, and which is also ejdiibited in the present.'—Sixth

edition, p. 293, footnote.

lo The Translations of Beowulf

The statement that the poem had remained untouched

and unnoticed is not strictly true. The public had not

yet received any detailed information regarding it ; but

Wanley ^ had mentioned the Beowulf in his catalog, and

Thorkelin had already made two transcripts of the poem,

and was at work upon an edition. Turner, however,

deserves full credit for first calling the attention of the

English people to the importance of the poem.

In the third edition, of which the author speaks, manyimprovements were introduced into the digest of the story

and some improvements into the text of the translations.

Many of these were gleaned from the editio princeps of

Thorkelin ^- The story is now told with a fair degree of

accuracy, although many serious errors remain : e. g. the

author did not distinguish the correct interpretation of

the swimming-match, an extract of which is given below.

The translations are about as faulty as ever, as may be

seen by comparing the two extracts. In the first edition

only the first part of the poem is treated ; in the third,

selections from the second part are added.

No further changes were made in later editions of the

History.

Detailed information regarding differences between the

first three editions may be found below.

Turner, and his Knowledge of Old English.

Sharon Turner (1768-1847J was from early youth

devoted to the study of Anglo-Saxon history, literature,

and antiquities. His knowledge was largely derived from

the examination of original documents in the British

Museum^. But the very wealth of the new material

which he found for the study of the literature kept himfrom making a thorough study of it. It is to be remem-

' See supra, p. 7. 2 ggg \^i^^^ p. 15.' See the Life of Turner by Thomas Seccombe, Diet. Nat. Biog.


bered that at this time but little was known of the peculiarnature of the Old English poetry. Turner gives fair

discussions of the works of Bede and ^Ifric, but he knowspractically nothing of the poetry. With the so-called

Paraphrase of Caedmon he is, of course, familiar; buthis knowledge of Beowulf and Judith is derived from the

unique, and at that time (1805) unpublished, MS., CottonVitellius A. xv. Of the contents of the Exeter Book heknew nothing. The Vercelli Book had not yet beendiscovered. The materials at hand for his study werea faulty edition of Caedmon and an insufficient dictionary.

The author, whose interest was of course primarily in

history, was not familiar with the hnguistic work of the

day. It is, therefore, not surprising that his work wasnot of the best quality.

Lines in the Poem Translated by Turner.

First edition: 18-40; 47-83 a; i99b-379; 330-324;

'i'i'i-i'i^\ 499-517 a. In the second edition are added:1-17; 41-46; 83b-ii4; i89-i99a; 387-497; 532-528.In the third edition are added : 539-531 ; 535-558 ; 607-

646; 671-674; 730-738; 991-996; 1013-1043 ; 1060 b-io68a; ii59b-ii65a; ii68b-ii8oa; I3i5b-i326a;i34ob-i246a; and a few other detached lines.

Turner s Account of Beowulf in the First Edition

. of his History.

' The most interesting remains of the Anglo-Saxon poetry which time

has suflfered to reach us, are contained in the Anglo-Saxon poem in

the Cotton Library, Vitellius A. 15. Wanley mentions it as a poemin which " seem to be described the wars which one Beowulf, a Daneof the royal race of the Scyldingi, waged against the reguli of Sweden ^"

But this account of the contents of the MS. is incorrect. It is a com-

position more curious and important. It is a narration of the attempt

' Wanley, Catal. Saxon MS., p. 218.


of Beowulfto wreck the fsethe or deadly feud on Hrothgar, for a homicide

which he had committed. It may be called an Anglo-Saxon epic poem.

It abounds with speeches which Beowulf and Hrothgar and their

partisans make to each other, with much occasional description and

sentiment.'—Book vi, chap, iv, pp. 398 ff.

The Story of the Poem as Interpreted by Turner.

[Dots indicate the position of the quotations.]

' It begins with a proemium, -which introduces its hero

Beowulf to our notice. . . . The poet then states the

embarkation of Beowulf and his partisans. . ..' Turner

interprets the prolog as the description of the embarka-

tion of Beowulf on a piratical expedition. The accession

of Hrothgar to the throne of the Danes is then described,

and the account of his ' homicide ' is given. This remark-

able mistake was caused by the transposition of a sheet

from a later part of the poem—the fight with Grendel

—

to the first section of the poem. The sailing of Beowulf

and the arrival in the Danish land are then given. Turner

continues: 'The sixth section exhibits Hrothgar's conversa-

tion with his nobles, and Beowulf's introduction and address

to him. The seventh section opens with Hrothgar's answer

to him, who endeavours to explain the circumstance of the

provocation. In the eighth section a new speaker appears,

who is introduced, as almost all the personages in the

poem are mentioned, with some account pf his parentage

and character.' Then follows the extract given below :

HUNFERTH spoke

The son of Ecglafe

;

Who had sat at the foot

Of the lord of the Scyldingi

Among the band of the battle mystery.

To go in the path of Beowulf

Was to him a great pride

;

He was zealous

That to him it should be granted

That no other man


'Was esteemed greater in the worldUnder the heavens than himself.

'Art thou Beowulf

He that with such profit

Dwells in the expansive sea,

Amid the contests of the ocean ?

There yet " for riches go !

You try for deceitful glory

In deep waters'.

—

Nor can any man,

Whether dear or odious,

Restrain you from the sorrowful path

—

There yet" with eye-streams

To the miserable you * flourish

:

You meet in the sea-street

;

You oppress with your hands

;

° You glide over the ocean's waves

;

The fury of winter rages.

Yet on the watery domain

Seven nights have ye toiled.'

After this extract, Turner continues :—

' It would occupy-

too much room in the present volume to give a further

account of this interesting poem, which well deserves to

be submitted to the public, with a translation and with

ample notes. There are forty-two sections of it in the

Cotton MS., and it ends there imperfectly. It is perhaps

the oldest poem of an epic form in the vernacular language

of Europe which now exists.'

' Second edition

—

Ever acquired under heavenmore of the world's glory

than himself.

^ Second edition—ye.' Second edition adds

—

Ye sleep not with your ancestors.

* Second edition omits.' Second edition reads

—

You glide over the oceanon the waves of the sea.


In the second edition the following lines were added :

—

' After Hunferthe, another character is introduced :

Dear to his people,

of the land of the Brondingi

;

the Lord of fair cities,

where he had people,

barks, and bracelets,

Ealwith, the son of Beandane,

the faithful companion

menaced.

"Then I think

worse things will be to thee,

thou noble one

!

Every where the rush

of grim battle will be made.

If thou darest the grendles,

the time of a long night

will be near to thee."'

Third Edition.

' Hunferth, " the son of Ecglaf, who sat at the feet of the

lord of the Scyldingi." He is described as jealous of

Beowulfs reputation, and as refusing to any man morecelebrity than himself. He is represented as taunting

Beowulf on his exploits as a sea-king or vikingr.

"Art thou Beowulf,

he that with such profit

labours on the wide sea,

amid the contests of the ocean ?

There you for riches,

and for deceitful glory,

explore its bays

in the deep waters,

till you sleep with your elders.

Nor can any man restrain you,

whether dear or odious to you,

from this sorrowful path.

There you rush on the wave

;

there on the water streams:


from the miserable you flourish.

You place yourselves in the sea-street

;

you oppress with your hands;

you glide over the ocean

through the waves of its seas.

The fury of the winter rages,

yet on the watery domain

seven nights have ye toiled."'

Criticism of the Extracts.

Detailed criticism of the extracts is unnecessary. Theyare, of course, utterly useless to-day. Sufficient general

criticism of the work is found in the preceding sections

devoted to a discussion of the author and his knowledge

of Old English and of the Beowulf.

In the third edition the author presents some criticisms

of Thorkelin's text ; but his own work is quite as faulty

as the Icelander's, and his ' corrections ' are often mis-

leading.

Turner is to be censured for allowing an account of

Beowulf so full of inaccuracy to be reprinted year after

year with no attempt at its improvement or even a warn-

ing to the public that it had been superseded by later and

more scholarly studies.

THORKELIN'S EDITION

DeI

Danorum|Rebus Gestis Secul. iii & IV.

|Poema

Danicum Dialecto Anglosaxonica.|Ex Bibliotheca Cot-

toniana Musaei Britannici|edidit versione lat. et indici-

bus auxit|Grim. Johnson Thorkelin. Dr. J. V.

|Havniae

1

6

The Translations of Beowulf

Typis Th. E. Rangel.|MDCCCXV. 4to, pp. xx, 399,

appendix 5.

First Edition. First Translation (Latin).

Circumstances of Publication.

The words of Wanley cited above ^ did not pass un-

noticed in Denmark. Thorkelin tells us in his introduction

that it had long been the desire of Suhm^, Langebeck,

Magnusen, and other Danish scholars to inspect the

MS. in the British Museum. The following is Thorkelin's

account of his editorial labors :

—

' Via tandem mihi data fuit ad desideratum nimis diu divini vatis

Daniel incomparabile opus. Arcta etenim, quae nos et Britannos

intercessit amicitia, me allexit, ut, clementissime annuentibus Augu-

stissimis patrise patribus Christiano VII. et Frederico VI. iter in

Britanniam anno secuH prseteriti Lxxxvi. ad thesauros bibliothecarum

Albionensium perscrutandos facerem. ... A curatoribus, Musaei

Britannici, aliarumque Bibliothecarum, potestas mihi data [est] in-

spiciendi, tractandi, et exscribendi omnia, quas rebus Danicis lucem

aflfere possent manuscripta. Ad quam rem conficiendam viri nostro

prjeconio majores Josephus Flanta et Richardus Southgate dicti Musaei

Brit, prasfecti in me sua officia humanissime contulerunt. Optimoigitur successu et uberrimo cum fructu domum reversus sum . .

.'

(pp. viii, ix).

Thorkelin thus obtained two copies of the poem, onemade with his own hand, the other by a scribe ignorant

of Old English. These transcripts (still preserved in

Copenhagen) formed the basis for Thorkelin's edition.

The account of his studies continues :

—

' Quaecunque igitur possent hoc meum negotium adjuvare, compa-rare coepi, magnamque librorum copiam unde quaque congessi, quorumopera carmen aggrederer. In hoc me sedulum ita gessi, ut opus totumanno MDCCCVII confecerim, idem brevi editurus . . .' (p. xv).

Just at this time, unfortunately, Copenhagen was stormedby the English fleet, and Thorkelin's text and notes were

' Supra, p. 7.

^ See also Grundtvig's edition of the text of Beowulf, p. xvi.

Thorkelin's Edition xn

burned with his library. But the transcripts were saved.

Thorkelin renewed his labors under the patronage ofBiilow, and at length published in 1815.

Thorkelin, and his Interpretation of the Beowulf.

Grimus Johnssen Thorkelin (or Thorkelsson), 1753-1829,

is remembered as a scholar in early Germanic history.

He had little beside this knowledge and his general ac-

quaintance with Old Germanic languages to recommendhim as an editor of the Beowulf. Grundtvig said that the

transcript of the Beowulf must have been the work of

one wholly ignorant of Old English^. Thorkelin knew

nothing of the peculiar style of Old English poetry ; he

could recognize neither kenning, metaphor, nor compound.

He was not even fitted to undertake the transcription of

the text, as the following section will make evident.

We have seen how Sharon Turner ^ could describe the

Beowulf. Thorkelin seems to have been little better fitted

to understand the poem, to say nothing of editing it. Hefailed to interpret some of the simplest events of the story.

He did not identify Scyld, nor understand that his body was

given up to the sea, but thought that King Beowulf ' ex-

peditionem suscipit navalem.' He failed to identify Breca,

and thought that Hunferth was describing some piratical

voyage of Beowulf's. He makes Beowulf reply that

' piratas ubique persequitur et fudit,' and ' Finlandiae arma

infert ^.' He regarded Beowulf as the hero of the Sigemund

episode. He quite misapprehended the Finn episode, 'Fin,

rex Frisionum, contra Danis pugnat ; vincitur ; foedus cum

Hrodgaro pangit ; fidem frangit;pugnans cadit*.' He

regards Beowulf and a son of Hunferth as participating

1 See Beowulfs Beorh, p. xviii."^ See supra, p. 11.

' See Thorkelin, p. 257. * Ibid., p. 259.

i8 The Translations of Beowulf

in that expedition. He failed to identify Hnaef, or Hengest,

or Hrothulf, &c.

Extract '

Hunfer)) maleode

Ecglafes beampe set fotum sset

Frean Scyldinga

On band beadu

Rune waes himBeowulfes si}) modgesMere faran

Micel asfjjunca

For J)on ])e he ne u])e lo

paet aenig o))er man^fre maerjja

pon ma middangardes

Gehedde under heofenum

pon he sylfa eart

pu se Beowulf

Se J>e wij) breccan

Wunne on sidne sse

Ymb sund flite

pEer git for wlence 20

W»da cunnedon

And for dol gilpe

On deop wseter

Aldrum ne))don

Ne mic senig monNe leof ne laj)

Belean mighte.

Sorh fullne sij>

pa git on sund reon.

pa git ea gor stream 30

Earmum })ehton

Maeton mere strseta

Mundum brugdon

Glidon ofer garsecg

Geofon .y)>um

Hunferd loquebatur

Ecglavi filius,

Qui ad pedes sedit

Domini Scyldingorum,

Emeritus stipendiis

Momordit eumBeowulfl itinere elati

Maria sulcando

Magna indignatio,

Propterea quod ille nesciret

UUum alium virum

Magis celebrem

In mundoNominari sub coelo

Quam se ipsum.

Tu sis Beowulfus,

Qui ob prsedas

Geris per latum asquor

Et maria pugnas.

Ibi vos ob divitias

Vada explorastis,

Et ob falsam gloriam

Profundas aequas.

Annis subacto

Non mihi aliquis

Amicus aut hostis

Objicere potest,

Illacrimabiles expeditiones.

Ubi vos per sequora ruistis,

Ibi fluctus sanguinis rivis

Miseri texistis.

Metiti estis maris strata

:

Castella terruistis :

Fluitavistis trans sequora.

S^lis undae

' See Thorkelin, p. 40.

Thorkelins Edition 19

Weol wintris wylmGit on wasteris aeht

Seofon night swuncon

He ))e at sunde

Oferflat haefde 40

Mare maegen

pa hine on morgen tid

On heaJ>o Raemis

Holm up ast baer

ponon he gesohte

Swaesne.

Leof his leodum

Lond Brondinga

Freo])o burh fegere.

paer he folc ahte 50

Burh and beagas

Beot eal wi))

pe sunu Beanstanes

Sode gelasste.

Fervuerunt nimborum aastu.

Vos in aquarum vadis

Septem noctibus afflicti fuistis.

Ille cum sundumTransvolasset,

Magis intensae vires

Ilium tempore matutino

In altam Raemis

Insulam advexere.

Deinde petiit

Dulcem,

Charam sue populo

Terram Brondingorum.

Libertate urbem conspicuam

Ibi populo possessam

Urbem et opes

Correpsit. Omne contra

Tibi filius Beansteni

Vere persolvit.

Criticism of the Text.

In order to show how corrupt the text is, I append

a collation of the above passage with the MS. It may be

added that the lines are among the simplest in the poem,

and call for no emendation. In passages that present any-

real difiSculty, Thorkelin is, if possible, even more at fault.

Line i, for maleode read majielode.

4, insert period after Scyl&ingz..

9, insert period after sefj^unca.

13, for middangardes read middangeardes.

15, for }»on read \oane.

17, for breccan read brecan (i. e. Brecan).

25, for mic read inc.

27, for mighte read mihte.

37, for waeteris read waeteres.

38, for night read niht.

40, insertperiod after oferflat.

B a


Line 43, for heaJ7o Rsemis read heaj^orsemes (i.e. Hea]?o-

r^mas).

46, for Swaesne read swsesne • 5$ • (i. e edel).

54, for sode read sode.

In the composition of his text Thorkelin made all the

errors known to scribes and editors. He misread words

and letters of the MS., although he had two transcripts.

He dropped letters, combinations of letters, and even whole

words. He joined words that had no relation to each

other ; he broke words into two or even three parts ; he

ignored compounds. He produced many forms the like

of which cannot be found in Old English. One further

example of his great carelessness may be given. Thefirst line of the poem, which is written in large capitals

in the MS.:—Hwat we Gardena. . . .

Thorkelin perversely transcribed :

—

Hwaet wegar Dena. . . .

and for this combination of syllables he chose the transla-

tion :

—

Quomodo Danorum.

There is, of course, no such word as 'wegar' in Old

English.

Of the necessity of punctuation Thorkelin seems to have

been serenely unconscious ; he did not even follow the

guides afforded by the MS. Had he done so, he would

have saved himself many humiliating errors. For example,

in the text given above, to have noticed the periods men-

tioned in the collation would have been to avoid two

glaring instances of ' running-in.'

Criticism of the Translation.

But, in spite of the wretched text, it remained for the

translation to discover the depths of Thorkelin's ignorance.

It will be seen by reading the extract given from the

Thorkelin's Edition ai

translation that he did not even perceive that two menwere swimming in the sea. It is to be remembered, too,

that his error of the ' piratical expedition ' is carried on for

sixty lines—certainly a triumph of ingenuity. It is useless

to attempt a classification of the errors in this version.

In the words of Kemble :

—

' Nothing but malevolence could cavil at the trivial errors which the

very best scholars are daily found to commit, but the case is widely

different when those errors are so numerous as totally to destroy the

value of a work. I am therefore most reluctantly compelled to state

that not five lines of Thorkelin's edition can be found in succession

in which some gross fault, either in the transcription or translation,

does not betray the editor's utter ignorance of the Anglo-Saxon

language.'—Edition of 1835, Introd., p. xxix.

Reception of Thorkelin's Edition.

The book was of value only in that it brought Beowulf to

the attention of scholars. The edition was used by Turner,

Grundtvig, and Conybeare. I have found the following

notices of the book, which will show how it was received by

the scholarly world.

Turner. On collating the Doctor's printed text with the MS. I

have commonly found an inaccuracy of copying in every page.—Fifth

edition, p. 389, footnote.

Kemble, see supra.

Thorpe. (The work ofthe learned Icelander exhibits) ' a text formed

according to his ideas of Anglo-Saxon, and accompanied by his Latin

translation, both the one and the other standing equally in need of an

CEdipus.'—Edition of 1855, Preface, xiv.

See also Grundtvig's criticism in Beowulfs Beorh, pp. xvii ff.


GRUNDTVIG'S TRANSLATION

*Bjowulf's Drape. Et Gothisk Helte-digt fra forrige

Aar-tusinde af Angel-Saxisk paa Danske Riim ved Nic.

Fred. Sev. Grundtvig, Prsest. Kj0benhavn, iSao^. 8°,

pp. Ixxiv, ^iS-

Bjovulvs-Drapen, et Hoinordisk Heltedigt, fra Anguls-

Tungen fordansket af Nik. Fred. Sev. Grundtvig. Anden

forbedrede Udgave. Ki0benhavn. Karl Sch0nbergs For-

lag. 1865. 8°, pp. xvi, 224.

First Danish Translation. Ballad Measures.

Grundtvig.

Nicolas Frederic Severin Grundtvig (i 783-1 873) was

especially noted as a student of Old Germanic literature.

He began his career in 1806 by his studies on the Edda.

This was followed by a book on Northern Mythology

(1810), and by various creative works in verse and prose,

the subjects of which were usually drawn from old Danish

history. An account of his labors on the Beowulf will

be found in the following section. His interest in OldEnglish literature continued through his long life, and

he was well and favorably known among the scholars of

his day.


In Beowulfs Beorh (Copenhagen, 1861), Grundtvig tells

the story of his early translation of the poem. He had

always had a passionate interest in Danish antiquities,

and was much excited upon the appearance of Thorkelin's

text ^. At that time, however, he knew no Old English,

' This volume I have never seen. My information regarding it is

from a scribe in the British Museum.* See supra, p. 15.


and his friend Rask, the famous scholar in Germanic

philology, being absent from Denmark, he resolved to dowhat he could with the poem himself. He began bycommitting the entire poem to memory. In this way he

detected many of the outlines which had been obscured

by Thorkelin. The results of this study he published in

the Copenhagen Sketch-Book {Kj0enhavns Skilderie),

1 815. When Thorkelin saw the studies he was furious,

and pronounced the discoveries mere fabrications.

But Rask, upon his return, thought differently, and

proposed to Grundtvig that they edit the poem together.

They began the work, but when they reached line 925

the edition was interrupted by Rask's journey into Russia

and Asia. With the help of Rask's AHglo-Saxon Gram-

mar (Stockholm, 1817), Grundtvig proceeded with his

translation. By the munificence of Biilow, who had also

given assistance to Thorkelin, Grundtvig was relieved of

the expense of publication.

Progress of the Interpretation of the Poem.

Grundtvig was the first to understand the story of

Beowulf. With no other materials than Thorkelin's

edition of the text and his own knowledge of Germanic

mythology, he discovered the sea-burial of King Scyld,

the swimming-match, and the Finn episode. He identi-

fied Breca, Hnsef, Hengest, King Hrethel, and other

characters whose names Thorkelin had filched from them.

Text Used.

Rask borrowed the original transcripts which Thorkelin

had brought from the British Museum, and copied and

corrected them. This was the basis of Grundtvig's trans-

lation.


Differences between the First and Second Editions.

The principal difference is in the introduction ; but of

the nature and extent of changes in the second edition

I can give no notion. All my information respecting

the first volume is derived from transcripts of certain

parts of it sent me from the British Museum. These

copies do not reveal any differences between the two trans-

lations.

Aim of the Volume, and Nature of the Translation.

We begin by quoting the author's words :

—

' I have studied the poem as if I were going to translate it word for

word . . . but I will not and have not translated it in that way, and

I will venture to maintain that my translation is a faithful one,

historically faithful, inasmuch as I have never wilfully altered or

interpolated anything, and poetically faithful inasmuch as I have

tried with all my might vividly to express what I saw in the poem. . . .

Whoever understands both languages and possesses a poetical sense

will see what I mean, and whoever is deficient in knowledge or sense,

or both, may stick to his own view, if he will only let me stick to mine,

which may be weak enough, but is not so utterly devoid of style and

poetry as little pettifoggers in the intellectual world maintain because

they can see very well that my method is not theirs. " I have," said

Cicero, "translated Demosthenes, not as a grammarian but as an orator,

and therefore have striven not so much to convince as to persuade myreaders of the truth of his words "

: methinks I need no other defence as

regards connoisseurs and just judges, and if I am much mistaken in

this opinion, then my work is absolutely indefensible'.'—Pages xxxiv,

XXXV.

In the introduction to his text of 1861, Grundtvig speaks

of his theory of translation, saying that he gave, as it were,

new clothes, new money, and new language to the poor

old Seven Sleepers, so that they could associate freely

with moderns. He believed that it was necessary to put

the poem into a form that would seem natural and

' Translation by scribe in British Museum.


attractive to the readers of the day. In so doing hedeparted from the letter of the law, and rewrote the poemaccording to his own ideas.

In the second edition the author states that he hopes

the poem will prove acceptable as a reading-book for

schools. Its value as a text-book in patriotism is also

alluded to.

Extract.

SjETTE Sang.

Traetten med Hunferd Drost og Tr0sten derover.

Nu Hunferd tog til Orde^Og Egglavs S0n var han,

Men Klammeri han gjorde

Med Tale sin paa Stand.

Han var en fornem Herre,

Han sad ved Thronens Fod,

Men avindsyg desvasrre,

Han var ei Bjovulv god

;

En Torn var ham i 0iet

Den iEdlings Herrefaerd,

Som havde B0lgen pl0iet

Og jEre h0stet der;

Thi Hunferd taalte ikke,

Med Nassen h0it i Sky,

At Nogen vilde stikke

Ham selv i Roes og Ry.

'Er du,' see det var Skosen,

'Den Bjovulv Mudderpram,

Som dykked efter Rosen

Og drev i Land med Skam,

Som kseppedes med Breekke

Og holdt sig ei for brav,

Dengang I, som to Giakke,

Omfl0d paa vildne Hav!

I vilde med jer Sv0mmenPaa Vandet gi0re Blaest,

Men drev dog kun med Str0mmen,

Alt som I kunde bedst

;

* Several variations in meter occur in the translation.


For aldrig Det ei keise

Jeg vilde slig en Klik,

Som for den Vendereise

I paa jert Rygte sik.

Paa Landet var I friske,

Men Vand kan slukke lid,

I sv0mmed som to Fiske,

la, snart som d0de Sild;

Da sagtnedes Stoheien,

Der Storm og B0lge strid

ler viste Vinterveien

Alt i en Uges Tid.

Dog, om end Narre begge,

Kom du dog vserst deran,

Thi fra dig sv0mmed Braekke

Og blev din Overmand

;

Du artig blev tilbage,

Der han en Morgenstund

Opskvulpedes saa fage

Paa h0ie Rom0s Grund,

Hvorfra sin Kaas han satte

Til Brondingernas Land,

Med Borge der og Skatte

Han var en holden Mand

;

Der havde han sit Rige,

Og deiligt var hans Slot,

Han elsket var tillige

Af hver sin Undersaat.

Saa Bjansteens S0n udf0rte

Alt hvad han trued med;Men da du, som vi h0rte,

Kom der saa gait afsted,

Saa t0r jeg nok formode,

Om end du gi0r dig kry,

Det gi0r slet ingen Gode,

Du braender dig paany;

la, vil en Nat du vove

At bie Graendel her.

Da t0r derfor jeg love.

Dig times en Ufaerd.'



The poem departs so far from the text of Beowulf that

any discussion of its accuracy would be out of place. Ashas been shown by the section on the nature of the transla-

tion, the author had no intention of being true to the

letter of the text. Grundtvig's scholarship has been dis-

cussed above.

The translation may properly be called nothing morethan a paraphrase. Whole sentences are introduced that

have no connection with the original text. Throughoutthe translation is evident the robust, but not always

agreeable, personality of the translator. In his preface ^

Grundtvig remarked that he put nothing into his poemthat was not historically and poetically true to the original.

The statement can only be regarded as an unfortunate

exaggeration. Grundtvig's style cannot be called even

a faint reflection of the Beowulf style. He has popularized

the story, and he has cheapened it. There is no warrant

in the original for the coarse invective of the extract that

has just been cited. In the Old English, Hunferth taunts

Beowulf, but he never forgets that his rival is ' doughty in

battle' (1. 536). Beowulf is always worthy of his respect.

In Grundtvig, the taunting degenerates into a scurrilous

tirade. Hunferth calls Beowulf a ' mudscow ' ; Breca and

Beowulf swim like two ' dead herrings.' In like manner

the character of Hunferth is cheapened. In Beowulf he

is a jealous courtier, but he is always heroic. In Grundtvig

he is merely a contemptible braggart, ' with his nose high

in air,' who will not allow himself to be ' thrown to the

rubbish heap.'

The same false manner is retained throughout the poem.

In many places it reads well—it is often an excellent

' See supra, p. 24.

a8 The Translations of Beowulf

story. But it can lay no claim to historic or poetic fidelity

to the Beowulf.

Reception of the Book.

The book fell dead from the press. Grundtvig himself

tells us that it was hardly read outside his own housed

Thirty years later he learned that the book had never

reached the Royal Library at Stockholm. A copy made

its way to the British Museum, but it was the one which

Grundtvig himself carried thither in 1829. This was

doubtless the copy that was read and criticized by Thorpe

and Wackerbarth. Both of these scholars spoke of its

extreme freedom, but commended its readableness.

CONYBEARE'S EXTRACTS

Illustrations of Anglo-Saxon Poetry. By John Josiaff

Conybeare, MA., &c. Edited, together with additional

notes, introductory notices, &c., by his brother, William

Daniel Conybeare, M.A., &c. London : printed for Harding

and Lepard, Pall Mall East, i8a6. 8°, pp. (viii), xcvi, 387.

Anglo-Saxon Poem concerning the Exploits of Beowulf

the Dane, pp. 30-167.

Translation of extracts into English blank verse, with

the original text of the extracts, and a literal translation of

them into Latin prose.


The volume had its origin in the Terminal Lectures

which the author gave as Professor of Anglo-Saxon and

^ See Beowulfs Beorh, p. xix.

Conybeare's Extracts 29

Poetry at Oxford from 1809 to i8ia^ We know froman autobiographical note printed in the Introduction ^ thatthe Beowulf 'WB.s finished in October, i8ao. But the bookdid not appear until two years after the author's death,

and the material which it contains is of a slightly earlier

date than the title-page would seem to indicate—e.g.

the volume really antedates the third edition of Turner's

History discussed above *.

Conybeare, and the Progress of the Interpretation of the

Poem.

Conybeare did not edit the entire poem, and appa-

rently never had any intention of so doing. The selec-

tions which he translates are based on Thorkelin's text.

He revises this text, however, in making his translations,

and even incorporates a collation of Thorkelin's text

with the MS. (pp. 137-55). This collation, though not

complete or accurate, was serviceable, and kept Cony-beare from falling into some of the errors that the Ice-

lander had made. He distinguished by an asterisk the

MS. readings which were of material importance in giving

the sense of a passage, and, in fact, constructed for himself

a text that was practically new.

' The text has been throughout carefully collated with the original

Manuscript, and the translation of Thorkehn revised with all the

diligence of which the editor is capable.'—Page 32.

'Any attempt to restore the metre, and to correct the version

throughout, would have exceeded the bounds, and involved muchdiscussion foreign to the purpose of the present work. This must

be left to the labours of the Saxon scholar. It is evident, however,

that without a more correct text than that of Thorkelin, those labours

must be hopeless. The wish of supplying that deficiency, may perhaps

^ See Editor's Prefatory Notice, p. (iii).

^ See Prefatory Notice, p. (v), footnote.' See supra, pp. 14 f.


apologize for the occupying, by this Collation, so large a space of

a work strictly dedicated to other purposes.'—Page 137, footnote.

How much Conybeare improved the text may be seen

by comparing his text and Latin translation with those of

Thorkelin. The first six lines of the Prolog follow :

—

Conybeare. Thorkelin.

Hwjet we Gar-Dena Hwset wegar DanaIn jear-dagum In geardagum

Deod cyninga peod cyninga

Drym jefrunon, prym gefrunon

Hu da yEdelingas Hu da £e})elingas

Ellen fremodon.—Page 82. Ellen fremodon.—Page 3.

The translations are even more interesting :

—

Aliquid nos de Bellicorum Danorum Quomodo DanorumIn diebus antiquis In principio

Popularium regum Populus RegumGloria accepimus, Gloriam auxerit,

Quomodo tunc principes Quomodo principes

Virtute valuerint. Virtute promoverit.

It will be seen that in these lines Conybeare has at almost

every point the advantage over Thorkelin, and is indeed

very nearly in accord with modern texts and translations.

But the poem yet awaited a complete understanding, for

Conybeare could say :' The Introduction is occupied by

the praises of Scefing . . . and of his son and successor

Beowulf. The embarkation of the former on a piratical

expedition is then detailed at some length. In this expe-

dition (if I rightly understand the text) himself and his

companions were taken or lost at sea' (p. 35). And, in

general, he misses the same points of the story as Thor-

kelin, although he craftily refrains from translating the

obscurer passages.

Conybeare apparently knew nothing of the critical workof Grundtvig. This is not surprising when we rememberthat Kj<t)benhavns Skilderie was probably not known out-

Conybeare's Extracts 31

side of Denmark ^ Moreover, it is to be remembered that

Conybeare's extracts from the Beowulf are not really later

than Grundtvig's translation, since they were made in the

same year, i8ao ^

Aim. of the Volume, and Nature of the Translations.

From the words quoted above with respect to the colla-

tion, it will be seen that Conybeare in no way regarded

his book as a contribution to Beowulf scholarship. Asprofessor at Oxford, he attempted a literary presentation

of the most beautiful parts of the old poetry. His extracts

are, in general, nothing more than free paraphrases. Wish-

ing to popularize the Beowulf, he used as a medium of

translation a peculiarly stilted kind of blank verse. Hedressed the poem out in elegant phrases in order to hide

the barrenness of the original. Manifestly he feared the

roughness, the remoteness of the poem in its natural state.

He feared to offend a nation of readers reveling in the

medievalism of Scott and Byron. A literal Latin trans-

lation was inserted to appease the scholar.

Extract.

'At a single stroke he (Beowulf) cut through the " ringed

bones " of her neck, and

Through the frail mantle of the quivering flesh

Drove with continuous wound. She to the dust

Fell headlong,—and, its work of slaughter done,

The gallant sword dropp'd fast a gory dew.

Instant, as though heaven's glorious torch had shone,

Light was upon the gloom,—all radiant light

From that dark mansion's inmost cave burst forth.

With hardier grasp the thane of Higelac press'd

' p. 23. Grundtvig is once mentioned in the notes, but the reference

is from the editor, not the author.^ p. 29.


His weapon's hilt, and furious in his might

Paced the wide confines of the Grendel's hold '.'

Page 58 ; Beo., 1565-75-

Latin Translation.

. . . Ossium annulos fregit ; telum per omnem penetravit moribundam

carnem. Ilia in pavimentum corruit. Ensis erat cruentus, militare

opus perfectum. Effulgebat lumen, lux intus stetit, non aliter qukm

cum a ccelo lucidus splendet astheris lampas. lUe per sedes gradie-

batur, incessit juxta muros ensem tenens fortiter a capulo Higelaci

minister iri ac constantii {sc. Iratus et constans animi).

Pages 113, 114.

Criticism of the Translations.

The English version is scarcely more than a paraphrase,

as may easily be seen by comparing it with the literal

translation into Latin. But even as a paraphrase it is

unsatisfactory. By way of general criticism it may be said

that, while it attains a kind of dignity, it is not the dignity

of Beowulf for it is self-conscious. Like Beowulf it is

elaborate, but it is the elaboration of art rather than of

feeling. Moreover, it is freighted with Miltonic phrase,

and constantly suggests the Miltonic movement. Thetrick of verse in line 3 is quite too exquisite for Beowulf.

The whole piece has a straining after pomp and majesty

that is utterly foreign to the simple, often baldly simple,

ideas and phrases of the original. Nearly every adjective

is supplied by the translator : in Old English the ' sword

'

is ' bloody,' in Conybeare the ' gallant sword drops fast

a gory dew'

; the cave becomes a mansion ; the ' floor

'

is ' dust '—dust in an ocean cave !—

' heaven's candle

'

becomes 'heaven's glorious torch.' The poem is tricked

out almost beyond recognition. Beowulf assumes the

' grand manner,' and paces ' the Grendel's hold ' like one

of the strutting emperors of Dryden's elaborate drama.

' Conybeare did not translate the episode of the swimming-match.

Kemble's Editions 33

KEMBLE'S EDITIONSThe Anglo-Saxon poems of Beowulf, the Traveller's

Song, and the Battle at Finnes-burh. Edited together witha glossary of the more difficult words, and an historical

preface, by John M. Kemble, Esq., M.A. London:William Pickering, 1833. 8", pp. xxii, 260. Edition

limited to 100 copies.

The Anglo-Saxon Poems of Beowulf, the Traveller's

Song, and the Battle of Finnes-burh. Edited by John M.Kemble, Esq., M.A., of Trinity College, Cambridge.Second edition. London : William Pickering, 1835. 8°,

pp. xixxii, 263.

A Translation of the Anglo-Saxon Poem of Beowulf,

with a copious glossary, preface, and philological notes, byJohn M. Kemble, Esq., M.A., of Trinity College, Cam-bridge. London: William Pickering, 1837. 8°, pp. Iv,

127, appendix, 179.

First English Translation. Prose.

Tke i8jj Volume.

A sufJScient account of this volume is given by Professor

Earle, who says of it :

—

' The text was an improvement on Thorkelin, but still very faulty ;

—

to say nothing of inaccuracies from want of proper oversight as the

sheets were passing through the press. The Glossary, though short,

was a valuable acquisition ... Of this edition only 100 copies were

printed;—and it was a happy limitation, as it left room for a newedition as early as 1835, in which the text was edited with far greater

care. All the rest remained as before, and the Preface was reprinted

word for word.'—Deeds ofBeowulf, pp. xix, xx.

The Text of iS^y. Kemble's Scholarship.

But whatever may be said of the text of 1833, there is

nothing but praise for the edition of 1835. In this book

c


the poem first had the advantage of a modern scholarly-

treatment, and for the first time the text of the MS. was

correctly transcribed. It received its first punctuation.

For the first time it was properly divided into half-lines,

with attention to alliteration. The text was freely

emended, but the suggested readings were placed in the

footnotes, in order not to impair the value of the text as

a reproduction of the MS. The necessity for this was made

evident by Kemble himself:

—

' But while he makes the necessary corrections, no man is justified

in withholding the original readings : for although the laws of a language,

ascertained by wide and careful examination of all the cognate tongues,

of the hidden springs and ground-principles upon which they rest in

common, are like the laws of the Medes and Persians and alter not,

yet the very errors of the old writer are valuable, and serve sometimes

as guides and clues to the inner being and spiritual tendencies of the

language itself. The reader will moreover be spared that, to some

people, heart-burning necessity of taking his editor's qualifications too

much for granted, if side by side he is allowed to judge of the

traditional error, and the proposed correction. I have endeavoured

to accomplish this fend by printing the text, letter for letter, as I found

it.'—Preface, pp. xxiv fF.

With this wholesome respect for the tradition of the

MS., it is not strange that Kemble's carefully chosen

emendations should stand to-day as of high critical value,

and that many of them are retained in modern editions of

the text ^. When we compare Kemble's book with Thor-

kelin's, the advance is seen to be little less than astonish-

ing. Thorkelin's emendations were worse than useless.

Kemble had a full acquaintance with the new science of

comparative philology which was developing in Germanyunder Jakob Grimm. He had corresponded, and later

studied, with Grimm, and, according to William Hunt, was

the ' recognised exponent ' of his investigations ^. It is to

' See Wyatt's text, lines 51, 158, 250, 255, 599, &c.^ See article in the Dictionary ofNational Biography.


Grimm that Kemble dedicates his volumes, and to himthat he repeatedly acknowledges his indebtedness. ThusKemble brought to the study of the poem not only

a knowledge of the Old English poetry and prose, but

acquaintance with Old Norse, Gothic, Old High German,

and Old Saxon. It may sufficiently illustrate his scholarly

method to instance examples of his treatment of the unique

words in Beowulf. Take, e.g., the word hose in line 934.

This word does not appear elsewhere in Old English ; it

does not appear in Lye's Dictionary, the only dictionary

that was at Kemble's disposal. Upon this word Kemblebrought to bear his knowledge of the Germanic tongues,

and by citing Goth, hansa, OHG. hansa, &c., derived the

meaning turma—a process in which he is supported by

a modern authority like Kluge. The study of compounds

also first began with Kemble. He collected and compared

the compounds in hea^o. Thus he laid the foundation of

all modern studies on the Old English compound.

Further Critical Material Afforded by the Volume of iS^y.

In the 1835 volume twenty-three words were illustrated

in the above way. But it remained for the 1837 volume to

present a complete glossary of the poem, containing also

important poetic words not in Beowulf. By reason of

its completeness and comparative work, it remained the

standard commentary on the Old English poetic vocabu-

lary until the appearance of Grain's Sprachschatz ^.

Aim of Kemble s Translation.

Like his edition of the text, Kemble's translation is quite

independent of any preceding book; like his edition of

the text, its aim was faithfulness to the original. Headheres scrupulously to the text, save where the original

' See infra, pp. 56 ff.

C %


is unintelligible. The translation was designed to be used

together with the glossary as a part of the apparatus for

interpreting the poem. He therefore made it strictly

literal.

' The translation is a literal one ; I was bound to give, word for

word, the original in all its roughness : I might have made it smoother,

but I purposely avoided doing so, because had the Saxon poet thought

as we think, and expressed his thoughts as we express our thoughts,

I might have spared myself the trouble of editing or translating his

poem. A few transpositions of words, &c. caused principally by the

want of inflections in New English (since we have now little more

than their position by which to express the relations of words to one

another) are all that I have allowed myself, and where I have inserted

words I have generally printed them in italics.'

—

Postscript to the Preface, p. 1.

Extract.

VIII.

Hunferth the son of Eglaf spake, he that sat at the feet of the Lord

of the Scyldings ; he bound up ' a quarrelsome speech : to him was the

journey of Beowulf, the proud sea-farer, a great disgust ; because he

granted not that any other man should ever have beneath the skies,

more reputation with the world than he himself :' Art thou the Beowulf

that didst contend with Brecca on the wide sea, in a swimming match,

where ye for pride explored the fords, and out of vain glory ventured

your lives upon the deep water ? nor might any man, friend or foe,

blame ^ your sorrowful expedition : there ye rowed upon the sea,

there ye two covered the ocean-stream with your arms, measured the

sea-streets, whirled them with your hands, glided over the ocean;

with the waves of the deep ° the fury of winter boiled; ye two on

the realms of water laboured for a week : he overcame thee in

swimming, he had more strength : then at the morning tide the deep

sea bore him up on Heathorsemes, whence he sought his own paternal

land, dear to his people, the land of the Brondings, where he owned

^ bound up, onband, now generally translated ' unbind.'' blame, belean, rather ' dissuade ' than ' blame.'' with the waves of the deep, &c., geofon-y])u weol wintrys wylm,

so Kemble reads in his text, and for this reading the translation is

correct, but he failed to discern the kenning to ' geofon ' in ' wintryswylm.'


a nation, a town, and rings. All his promise to thee, the son of

Beanstan truly performed,'


Kemble's scholarship enabled him to get a full under-

standing of the poem, and thus to make the first really

adequate translation of Beowulf. He was the first to

recognize the significance of kenning, metaphor, and com-

pound. Thus his work is to be commended chiefly because

of its faithfulness. All preceding studies had been wofully

inaccurate^. Kemble's editions became at once the

authoritative commentary on the text, and held this

position until the appearance of Grein's Bibliothek (1857).

In this latter book, Kemble's text was the principal

authority used in correcting the work of Thorpe^. In

spite of the fact that this is a literal translation, it some-

times attains strength and beauty by reason of its very

simplicity.

ettmOller's translation

Beowulf. Heldengedicht des achten Jahrhunderts.

Zum ersten Male aus dem Angelsachsischen in das

Neuhochdeutsche stabreimend iibersetzt, und mit Einlei-

tung und Anmerkungen versehen von Ludwig Ettmiiller.

Zurich, bei Meyer und Zeller, 1840. 8°, pp. 191.

First German Translation. Imitative measures.

Ettmiiller.

Ernst Moritz Ludwig Ettmuller (1803-77), at the time

of the publication of this book, was professor of the German

' See supra on Turner, p. 9; Thorkelin, p. 15 ; Grundtvig, p. 22

;

Conybeare, p. 28.

^ See infra, p. 49.


language and literature in the Gymnasium at Zurich.

He had already appeared as a translator with a work

entitled Lieder der Edda von den Nibelungen. Later he

edited selections from the Beowulf in his Engla and Seaxna

Scdpas and Bdceras (1850). This text incorporated many

new readings. Ettmiiller was the first to question the

unity of the Beowulf, and sketched a theory of interpola-

tions which has since been developed by MiillenhofF. The

first announcement of these views is found in the introduc-

tion to this translation.

Theory of Translation.

Ettmiiller gives full expression to his theories and aims :

—

' Vor AUem habe ich so wortlich als moglich iibersetzt, da Treue

das erste Erfordemiss einer guten Ubersetzung ist. Dann aber war

mein Augenmerk vorziiglich auf Wohlklang und Verstandlichkeit

gerichtet. Letztere werden bei Obersetzungen dieser Art nur zu oft

vemachlassigt, da manche derAnsicht sind, ihre Arbeit sei um so besser,

je treuer sie die aussere Form des Originals in alien Einzelheiten

wiedergebe. Aber dieweil diese so miihsam an der Schale knacken,

entschliipft ihnen nicht selten der Kern. Mein Bestreben war dem-

nach keineswegs, z. B. jeden Vers angstlich dem Originale nach-

zubilden, so dass die genaueste Ubereinstimmung zwischen der

Silbenzahl und den Hebungen oder gar dem Klange der Verse Statt

fande. Das ware ohnehin, ohne der deutschen Sprache die schreiendste

Gewalt anzuthun, unmoglich gewesen. Ich habe vielmehr darnach

mit Sorgfalt gestrebt, die Versbildung des angelsachsischen Gedichtes

mir in alien ihren Erscheinungen klar zu machen, und dann frei nach

dem gewonnen Schema gearbeitet. Daher kann ich versichem, dass

man fiir jeden Vers meiner Obersetzung gewiss ein angelsachsisches

Vorbild findet, wenn auch nicht grade jedesmal die Verse einander

decken. Dass dabei iibrigens der hoheren Rhythmik, d. h. demasthetisch richtigen Verhaltnisse des Ausdruckes zu dem Ausgedriickten

Oder, mit Klopstock zu reden, des Zeitausdruckes oder Tonverhaltes

(der Bewegung) zu dem Gedanken, iiberall die grosste Sorgfalt zuge-

wendet ward, das braucht, diinkt mich, keiner besondern Versicherung;

dies aber kann erreicht werden auch ohne knechtische Nachbildung

des Originals.'—Page 59.

Ettmuller's Translation 39

Text, and Indebtedness to Preceding Scholars.

The translation is founded on Kemble's text of 1835 1,

to which the introduction and notes are also indebted.

Like Kemble, Ettmiiller was a close student of the

works of Jakob Grimm, and his interpretation of obscure

lines (especially passages relating to Germanic antiquities)

is largely due to the study of such works as the Deutsche

Mj/thologie {18^^), the Deutsche Rechtsalterthumer (i8a8),

and the Deutsche Sagen (18 16-8). Cf lines 458, 484.

Extract.

EcglMes Sohn Hunferdh da sagte,

der zu Fiissen sass dem Fiirsten der Skildinge,

entband Beadurunen— ihm war Beowulfes Beginn,

des muthigen Meergangers, machtig zuwider;

ungern sah er, dass ein andrer Mannirgend Machtruhmes mehr in Mittelgart,

auf Erden aufnete denn er selber—

:

' Bist du der Beowulf, der mit Breca kampfte

600 in sausender See, im Sundkampfe?

Ihr da aus tJbermuth Untiefen priiftet

und aus ToUmuth ihr in tiefem Wasser

das Leben wagtet ; liesset keinen,

nicht Freund noch Feind, da fernen euch

von der sorgvoUen That, als zur See ihr rudertet.

Dort ihr den Egistrom mit Armen wandtet,

masset die Meerstrasse, mischtet mit Handen,

glittet uber's Geerried (Glanderfluthen

warf Winters Wuth !), in Wassers Gebiet

610 sieben Nacht' ihr sorgtet : Er, Sieger der Wogen,

hatte mehr der Macht, denn zur Morgenzeit ihn

bei Headorasmes die Hochfluth antrug.—

Von dannen er suchte die siisse Heimat,

lieb seinen Leuten, das Land der Brondinge,

die feste Friedeburg, da Volk er hatte,

Burg und Bauge ;—All Erbot wider dich

der Sohn Beanst^nes sorglichst erfuUte.'

1 See supra, p. 33.



In his translation Ettmiiller followed in the steps of

Kemble^ but he was not slavishly dependent upon him.

At times he disagrees with the English scholar (cp. e.g.,

11. 468, 522, 1331), and offers a translation of the passage

omitted by him, 3069-74. In general, the translation

is strictly literal, and follows the original almost line for

line.

It was probably well for Ettmiiller that he made his

translation thus literal. In the history of a foreign-lan-

guage study there is a period when it is best that a transla-

tion should be strictly literal, for such a work is bound to

be called into service as a part of the critical apparatus

for the interpretation of the tongue. If the early transla-

tion is not thus literal, it is sure to be superseded later bythe more faithful rendering, as Schaldemose's superseded

Grundtvig's in Denmark^- It is not until criticism and

scholarship have done their strictly interpretative work

that a translation is safe in attempting to render the spirit

rather than the letter of the original. The reason for this

is evident : no real appreciation of the spirit is possible

until scholarship has provided the means for discovering it.

By the publication of this volume, therefore, Ettmiiller did

for German scholarship what Kemble had done for English

and Schaldemose was to do for Danish scholarship. Yet

he might with propriety have made his work more simple.

His translation is disfigured by numerous strange word-

combinations which he often transcribed literally from the

original, e. g. beadu-runen in the third line of the extract.

It is safe to say that none but a scholar in Old English

would be able to understand this word—if, indeed, we maycall it a word. The text is full of such forms. The author

' See supra, p. 33.^ See supra, p. 22, and infra, p. 41 ff.

Ettmiiller's Translation 41

is obliged to append notes explaining his own translation

!

He apparently forgets that it is his business as translator

to render the difficult words as well as the simple ones.

In Ettmiiller's case it was especially unfortunate, because

it gave others an opportunity to come forward later with

simpler, and hence more useful, translations.

Reception of the Translation.

The book had no extraordinary success. A reprint was

never called for, and was perhaps hardly to be expected,

considering the existence of Kemble's volumes. Moreover,

the translation was not accompanied by an edition of the

text. Grein ^, the next German scholar, took his inspiration

from Kemble ^ and Thorpe ^ rather than from Ettmiiller.

SCHALDEMOSE'S TRANSLATION

Beo-wulf og Scopes Widsid, to angelsaxiske Digte,

med Oversaettelse og oplysende Anmaerkninger udgivne af

Frederik Schaldemose. Kj0benhavn, 1847.

Anden Udgave, Kjjzibenhavn, 1851. 8°, pp. ii, 188.

Second Danish Translation.

Mature of the Volume, and Indebtedness to Previous

Scholars.

In this book the Old English text and the Danish

translation wer« printed in parallel columns. The text,

which was taken literally from Kemble *, need not detain

us here. No mention is made of the work of Leo ^

Ettmiiller ^ or of the 1837 volume of Kemble, although

' See infra, p. 55.^ See supra, p. 33. " See infra, p. 49.

* See supra, p. 33. ^ See infra, p. 121. * See supra, p. 37.


the influence of the latter is evident throughout the book,

as will be shown below. The notes are drawn largely

from the works of preceding scholars, and in these the

author makes an occasional acknowledgement of indebted-

ness.

The translation is literal. Grundtvig's translation ^ had

been so paraphrastic as often to obscure the sense, and

always the spirit, of the original. Schaldemose had the

advantage of presenting the most modern text side by side

with the translation. Thus the book became a valuable

apparatus criticus for the Danish student.

Schaldemose.

The life of Frederik Schaldemose (1783-1853) was by

no means the quiet, retired life of the student. He had, it

is true, been professor at the school of Nykj0bing from

1816 to 1825, and later devoted himself to literary work

;

but a large part of his life had been spent in military

service, in which he had had many exciting adventures byland and sea. After leaving his professorship he again

entered military service. Later, he devoted his time alter-

nately to literary and commercial work.

His interest in Beowulf seems to have been, like that

of Thorkelin^, primarily the interest of the Danish anti-

quary. In 1846 he had published a collection of Heroic

Danish Songs, ancient and modern. It was doubtless a

desire to add to this collection that led him to undertake

an edition of the Beowulf.

It was hardly to be expected that a man whose life hadbeen so unsettled could materially advance the interpreta-

tion of Old English poetry.

^ See supra, p. 22. ' See supra, p. 15.

Schaldemose^s Translation 43

Extract.

Hunferd sagde,

S0nnen af Ecglaf

;

han sad ved Scyldinge-

Styrerens F0dder

;

Kiv han begyndte,

thi kJEer var ham ikke

Beowulfs Reise,

den raske S0farers,

1000 men til Sorg og Harme,

thi han saae ei gjserne

at en anden Mandmeer Magtroes havde,

under Himraelens Skyer

end selv han aatte :

Er Du den Beowulf,

der med Breca kjsemped'

paa det vide Havi Vceddesv0mning,

loio da 1 af HovmodHavet udforsked',

og dumdristige

i dybe Vandevovede Livet

;

ei vilde Nogen,

Ven eller Fjende,

afvende eders

sorgfulde Tog

;

til S0en I da roed,

1020 vendte med Armenede vilde B0lger,

maalde Havveien,

med Hsenderne br0d den,

og svam over Havet

mens S0en vaslted

vinterlige Vover;

saa paa Vandenes RygI strede syv Nsetter

;

han, Seirer paa Havet,

1030 aatte meer Styrke,


thi aarle om Morgenen

til Headhorsemes

Havet ham f0rde

;

derfra han s0gde

sit Fasdrenerige,

feiret af Sine,

Brondinge-Landet

det fagre Fristed,

hvor et Folk han havde,

1040 Borge og Ringe.

Saa blev hvad Beanstans

S0n Dig loved'

sikkerlig opfyldt.

Criticism of the Text and Translation.

There are two good things to be said of this volume:

it contains a literal translation, and it is a literal translation

from Kemble's text. Being so, it could not be without

merit. There was need of a literal translation in Denmark.

Grundtvig's version certainly did not fulfil the letter of the

law, and Thorkelin's had long since been forgotten.

Schaldemose's dependence upon the translation of Kembleis very evident. In general, the Danish translator is stopped

by the same passages that defy the English translator, e.g.

the passage which Kemble failed to interpret at line 3075was duly and loyally omitted by Schaldemose.

I can find no evidence for the reiterated ^ statement that

Schaldemose is throughout his translation slavishly in-

debted to Ettmiiller. Certain it is that he avoided those

peculiar forms of Ettmiiller's translation which are nothing

more than a transliteration from the Old English.

Reception of the Volume.

It is a tribute to the Danish interest in Beowulf that

Schaldemose's volume soon passed into a second edition.

' See Wiilker, Ang. Anz. IV, 69 ; Wackerbarth's ed. (see infra, p. 45).

Schaldemose's Translation 45

But it was not of a character to arouse the interest ofscholars in other countries. Thorpe, the next editor of thepoem, had never seen it.

The translation, being strictly literal, naturally com-manded very little attention even in Denmark; while it

was utterly without interest for readers and students in

other countries.

WACKERBARTH'S TRANSLATION

Beowulf, an epic poem translated from the Anglo-Saxoninto English verse, by A. Diedrich Wackerbarth, A.B.,

Professor of Anglo-Saxon at the College of our Ladye of

Oscott. London: William Pickering, 1849. 8°, pp. xlvi,

159-

Second English Translation. Ballad Measures.


In the introduction Wackerbarth gives a full account of

the history of the book :

—

' With respect to the Work now presented to the Public, shortly after

the putting forth of Mr. Kemble's Edition of the Anglo-Saxon Text in

1833 I formed the Design of translating it, and early in 1837 I com-menced the Work. Mr. Kemble's second Volume had not then appeared,

and I proceeded but slowly, on account of the Difficulty of the Work,and the utter Inadequacy of any then existing Dictionary. I still

however wrought my Way onward, under the Notion that even if

I should not think my Book, when finished, fit for Publication, yet that

the MS. would form an amusing Tale for my little Nephews andNieces, and so I went through about a Quarter of the Poem whenIllness put an entire stop to my Progress. Afterwards, though the

Appearance of Mr. Kemble's additional Volume, containing the Prose


Version, Glossary, &c. had rendered the remainder of my Task com-

paratively easy, other Matters required my Attention, and the MS.lay untouched until 1842, between which Time and the present it has

been from Time to Time added to and at length completed, and the

whole carefully revised, much being cancelled and retranslated.'

—

Introduction, p. viii.

Indebtedness to preceding Scholars.

' In my Version I have scrupulously adhered to the text of Mr. Kemble,

adopting in almost every Instance his Emendations. . . . My thanks are

due to Mr. Kemble ... to the Rev. Dr. Bosworth . . . who have . . .

kindly answered my Inquiries relative to various Matters connected

with the poem.'— Pages viii, xiv.

Style and Diction.

' I have throughout endeavoured to render the Sense and the Wordsof my Author as closely as the English Language and the Restraints

of Metre would allow, and for this Purpose I have not shrunken either

from sacrificing Elegance to Faithfulness (for no Translator is at liberty

to misrepresent his Author and make an old Saxon Bard speak the

Language of a modern Petit Mattre) or from uniting English Wordsto express important Anglo-Saxon compounds. . . . Some may ask whyI have not preserved the Anglo-Saxon alliterative Metre. My Reason

is that I do not think the Taste of the English People would at present

bear it. I wish to get my book read, that my Countrymen may becomegenerally acquainted with the Epic of our Ancestors wherewith they

have been generally unacquainted, and for this purpose it was necessary

to adopt a Metre suited to the Language ; whereas the alliterative Metre,

heavy even in German, a Language much more fitted for it than ours,

would in English be so heavy that few would be found to labour

through a Poem of even half the Length of the Bedwulf's lay whenpresented in so unattractive a Garb.'—Pages ix, x.

Extract.

Canto VIII.

But haughty Hunferth, Ecg-Idf's SonWho sat at royal Hr6th-gdr's Feet

To bind up Words of Strife begun

And to address the noble Geat.

Wackerbarth's Translation 47

The proud Sea-Farer's Enterprize5

Was a vast Grievance in his Eyes

:

For ill could bear that jealous ManThat any other gallant ThaneOn earth, beneath the Heavens' Span,

Worship beyond his own should gain. 10

'Art thou Be6-wulf,' then he cry'd,

'With Brecca on the Ocean wide

That didst in Swimming erst contend.

Where ye explor'd the Fords for Pride

And risk'd your Lives upon the Tide ^ 15

All for vain Glory's empty End?And no Man, whether Foe or Friend,

Your sorry Match can reprehend.

O'er Seas ye rowed, your Arms o'erspread

The Waves, and Sea-paths measured. 20

The Spray ye with your Hands did urge.

And glided o'er the Ocean's Surge

;

The Waves with Winter's fury boil'd

While on the watery Realm ye toil'd.

Thus seven Nights were told, 25Till thee at last he overcame.

The stronger in the noble Game.

Then him at Morn the billowy Streams

In triumph bare to Heatho-rsemes

From whence he sought his Fatherland, 30And his own Brondings' faithful Band,

Where o'er the Folk he held Command,A City, Rings, and Gold.

His Promise well and faithfully

Did Beanstdn's Son perform to thee; 35

And ill I ween, though prov'd thy Might

In Onslaught dire and deadly Fight,

Twill go with thee, if thou this Night

Dar'st wait for Grendel bold.'


Wackerbarth's translation is not to be considered as

a rival of Kemble's^—the author did not wish it to be

' See supra, p. 33.


so considered. Kemble addressed the world of scholars

;

Wackerbarth the world of readers. Wackerbarth rather

resembles Conybeare^ in trying to reproduce the spirit of

the poem, and make his book appeal to a popular audience.

Wackerbarth had the advantage of basing his translation

on the accurate and scholarly version of Kemble; yet

Conybeare and Wackerbarth were equally unsuccessful in

catching the spirit of the original. The reason for their

failure is primarily in the media which they chose. It

would seem that if there were a measure less suited to the

Beowulf style than the Miltonic blank verse used by Cony-

beare, it would be the ballad measures used by Wackerbarth.

The movement of the ballad is easy, rapid, and garrulous.

Now, if there are three qualities of which the Beowulf is

not possessed, they are ease, rapidity, and garrulity. Notonly does the poet avoid superfluous words—the ballad

never does—but he frequently does not use words enough.

His meaning is thus often vague and nebulous, or harsh

and knotted. Nor can the poem properly be called rapid.

It is often hurried, and more often insufficient in detail,

but it never has sustained rapidity. The kenning alone

is hostile to rapidity. The poet lingers lovingly over his

thought as if loath to leave it ; he repeats, amplifies. Thedescription of Grendel's approach to Heorot is given three

times within twenty lines.

Now these features which have just been described

Wackerbarth's ballad lines are eminently unfitted to

transmit. But there is still another reason for shunning

them. They are almost continuously suggestive of

Scott. Of all men else the translator of Beowulf should

avoid Scott. Scott's medievalism is hundreds of years

and miles away from the medievalism of Beowulf.

His is the self-conscious, dramatic, gorgeous age of

' See supra, p. 28.

Wackerbarth's Translation 49

chivalry, of knight and lady, of pomp and pride. Beowulfis simple to bareness.

It is in such strong picturesque passages as the

swimming-match that Wackerbarth's style is worst. There

is a plethora of adjectives, scarcely one of which is found

in the original; but they are of no avail—they are too

commonplace to render the strength and raciness of the

original words. There is too much ballad padding—' then

he cry'd,' ' at last,' ' well and faithfully,' ' onslaught dire,

and deadly fight.' Hunferth prattles. The heroic atmo-

sphere is gone.

In passages calling for calmness, solemnity, or elevation

of thought—and there are many such—the easy flow of

a verse monotonous and trivial effectually destroys the

beauty of the lines.

But in spite of its very evident limitations, Wacker-

barth's translation was a move in the right direction. His

aim, in his own words, was to ' get his book read,' and he

was wise in choosing a medium that would be popular,

even if it were not satisfactory to the scholar. It was

better to have Beowulf according to Wackerbarth than no

Beowulf at all.

THORPE'S EDITION

The Anglo-Saxon Poems of Beowulf, The Scop or

Gleeman's Tale, and the Fight at Finnesburg. With a

literal translation, notes, and glossary, &c., by Benjamin

Thorpe. Oxford: printed by James Wright, Printer to

the University. M.DCCC.LV.

* Reprinted, 1875. 13°, pp. xxxiv, 330.

Third English Translation. Short Lines.

D


Author s Prefatory Remarks.

' Twenty-four years have passed since, while residing in Denmark,

I first entertained the design of one day producing an edition of

Beowulf; and it was in prosecution of that design that, immediately

on my arrival in England in 1830, I carefully collated the text of

Thorkelin's edition with the Cottonian manuscript. Fortunately, no

doubt, for the work, a series of cares, together with other literary

engagements, intervened and arrested my progress. I had, in fact,

abandoned every thought of ever resuming the task : it was therefore

with no slight pleasure that I hailed the appearance of Mr. Kemble's

first edition of the text of Beowulf in 1833. . . .

' Copies of Mr. Kemble's editions having for some time past been of

rare occurrence, I resolved on resuming my suspended labour, and, as

far as I was able, supplying a want felt by many an Anglo-Saxon

student both at home and abroad. . . .

' My first impulse was to print the text of the poem as it appears in

the manuscript, with a literal translation in parallel columns, placing

all conjectural emendations at the foot of each page; but, on comparing

the text with the version in this juxta-position, so numerous and so

enormous and puerile did the blunders of the copyist appear, and,

consequently, so great the discrepance between the text and the

translation, that I found myself compelled to admit into the text the

greater number of the conjectural emendations, consigning to the foot

of the page the corresponding readings of the manuscript. In every

case which I thought might by others be considered questionable,

I have followed the more usual course, of retaining in the text the

reading of the manuscript, and placing the proposed correction at

foot. . . .

' Very shortly after I had collated it, the manuscript suffered still

further detriment.

' In forming this edition I resolved to proceed independently of the

version or views of every preceding editor.'—Pages vii, viii, xii, xiii.

Criticism of Thorpe's Text.

Considering the amount of time that had elapsed between

this and the edition of Kemble ^, Thorpe can hardly be said

to have made a satisfactory advance. In some respects his

edition is actually inferior to Kemble's. It is probable,

' See supra, p. 33.

Thorpe's Edition 5r

for example, that the collation of which the author speaks

in his introduction was the one which he had made twenty

years before, and that, in taking up his work a second time,

he did not trouble himself to revise it. At any rate, the

MS. did not receive from Thorpe that respectful attention

that it had had from Kemble. Thorpe was more clever

than the former scholar in deciphering faded lines of the

MS., but he was not always careful to indicate those letters

which he actually found there, and those he himself supplied

from conjecture. Yet these readings were often of sufficient

importance to affect an entire passage, and later scholar-

ship has in many cases deciphered readings whose sense

is entirely different from Thorpe's. Thus his edition

presents striking divergences from later texts, while no

explanation of them is offered in the footnotes. Not only

does he frequently incorporate his own readings in the text

without noting the MS. forms, but he even makes mistakes

in the MS. forms which he does note. A collation of

Thorpe's text with the MS. has revealed a carelessness

which was all the more reprehensible in that it came from

a scholar who was thought to be well-nigh infallible. Afew examples of this carelessness are given :

—

Line 319 (158) ^ banan (misreads MS. in footnote).

487 (a4i)> Ic (word emended from le without noting

MS. form).

1 160 (578), hwcBpere (emends without noting the

MS. form).

1307 (601), ac him (omits a word).

4408 (aaoi), hilde hlemmum (MS. misread in a foot-

note. Emendation unnecessary).

At line aaiS the MS., badly mutilated at this point,

reads,. . . slapende be syre . . .de peofes crcefte.

^ The numbers in parentheses are those of Wyatt's text.

D a


In Thorpe's edition the line reads (4443),

. . . sJcepende be fire, fyrena hyrde peSfes crcefte.

Not only does he fail to state that he has changed MS. sy

to fi, but he gives no indication that for the words fyrena

hyrde there is no room in the MS., and that the reading is

entirely of his own making.

In order to afford a comparative estimate of the work of

Thorpe and Kemble, I append the texts of each as they

appear at what is now line aooo ^.

Thorpe. Kemble.

paet is undyme, $ is un-dyrne,

dryhten Higeldc, dryhten Hige-ldc,

(uncer) gemeting . . . ge-meting

monegum fyra, monegu fira

hwylce (orIeg)-hwfl 5 hwylce . . . hwi'l

uncer Grendles uncer Grendles

weard on \&a\ wange, weard on wange,

J)asr he woma fela Jiasr he woma fela

Sige-Scyldingum sfge-(Scyl)dingum

sorge gefremede, 10 sorge ge-fremede,

yrmde t6 aldre. yrma(o) t6 aldre;

Ic {last eall gewraec, ic f eall ge-wraec,

swS. ne gylpan jiearf swd (ne) gylpan dearf

Grendles maga Grendeles maga(^nig) ofer eordan 15 (^nig) ofer eorSan

uht-hlem J)one, uht-hlem done,

se ))e lengest leofad (se fe) lengest leofad

Iddan cynnes. Iddan cynnes,

Fafer-bifongen, . .

.

(fafef)-bi-fongen.

These selections give a good basis for judging the merits

and defects of Thorpe's edition. Thorpe is seen to have

the advantage in deciphering certain parts of the text, see

e. g. lines 9, 11, 17. On the other hand, Kemble is far

more conscientious. Thus at line 13 Thorpe reads ne as if

it were found in the MS. It is not there, and Kemble is

right in inclosing the letters in parentheses. The same

' Line 3995 in Kemble ; 4004 in Thorpe.

Thorpe's Edition 53

thing is true of Fxr in line 19, and Grenif/es in line 14.

Thorpe's emendations in lines 3 and 5 are an advance on

JCemble, and are still retained in the text. But Thorpe

might have followed Kemble's punctuation in 18 and 19 to

his advantage.

Extract.

VIII.

Hunferth spake,

Ecglaf's son,

who at the feet sat

of the Scyldings' lord

;

unbound a hostile speech.

To him was the voyage of Beowulf,

the bold sea-farer,

a great displeasure

;

loio because he grudged

that any other manever more glories

of mid-earth

held under heaven

than himself:

'Art thou the Beowulf

who with Breca strove

on the wide sea,

in a swimming strife,

1020 where ye from pride

tempted the fords,

and for foolish vaunt

in the deep water

ventured your lives ?

Nor you any man,

nor friend nor foe,

might blame

for your sorrowful voyage,

when on the sea ye row'd,

1030 when ye the ocean-stream,

with your arms deck'd,

measur'd the sea-ways,

with your hands vibrated them,


glided o'er the main;

ocean boil'd with waves,

with winter's fury:

ye on the water's domain,

for seven nights toil'd.

He thee in swimming overcame,

1040 he had more strength,

when him at morning tide,

on to Heatho-rasmes

the sea bore up

;

whence he sought

his dear country,

the beloved of his people,

the Brondings' land,

his fair, peaceful burgh,

where he a people own'd,

1050 a burgh and rings.

All his promise to thee

Beanstan's son

truly fulfil'd.


This being a strictly literal translation, the reader is

referred to the sections on the text for a valuation and

criticism. It is a question whether there was need for

another literal rendering in England at this time. Kemble's

translation was not yet out of date, and with Thorpe's newglossary the student had a sufficient apparatus for -the

interpretation of the poem.

Some German scholars have discovered that the short

lines in which Thorpe's translation is couched are imitative

of the Old English measure. I am unable to agree with

them. Probably any short-line translation would ipso facto

assume a choppiness not dissimilar to the Old English, and

probably plenty of lines could be discovered which corre-

spond well enough to the 'five types,' but the agreement

seems purely fortuitous. It is quite unlikely that Thorpeintended any imitation.

Thorpe's Edition 55

Influence of Thorpe's Edition.

The influence of this edition has been considerable. It

was the principal authority used by Grein^ and Heyne^

in constructing their texts. Thus its influence was felt in

all texts down to the publication of the Zupitza Autotypes

(188a). Thomas Arnold* copied the text almost word

for word.

GREIN'S TRANSLATIONS

Dichtungen der Angelsachsen, stabreimend iibersetzt von

C. W. M. Grein. Erster Band. Gottingen : Georg H.

Wigand, 1857. 8°, Beowulf, pp. 232-308. Zweite (Titel-)

Auflage, 1863.

Beowulf. Stabreimend iibersetzt von Professor Dr.

C. W. M. Grein. Zweite Auflage. Kassel: Georg H.

Wigand, 1883. 8", pp. 90.

Second German Translation. Imitative Measures-

Greins Preparation for Scholarly Work.

Christian Wilhelm Michael Grein* (1835-77) was emi-

nently well fitted for the editing and translating of Old

English poetry. He possessed a natural aptitude for the

study of Germanic Philology, and had the advantage of

studying with an excellent professor, Franz Eduard Chris-

toph Dietrich (1810-83), in the University at Marburg.

As early as 1854 he began his labors as a translator of Old

English poetry with a version of the Phoenix, ' Der Vogel

Phoenix : ein angelsachsisches Gedicht, stabreimend iiber-

1 See infra, p. 55.^ See infra, p. 63.

^ See infra, p. 71.* For biographical facts see Grein-Wiilker, Bibliothek, Bs-nd III,

2te Halfte, p. vii.


setzt,' Rinteln, 1854. In the same year he printed a trans-

lation of the Heliand.

In 1855 he assumed the position of Praktikant at the

Kassel Landesbibliothek. Here he was able to devote

a large part of his attention to the study of Old English,

acquiring a familiarity with the poetry of that tongue which

it has seldom been the fortune of a scholar to surpass. Heformed the design of editing and translating the entire

body of Old English poetry and appending to it a com-

plete glossary which should not only give the meanings of

the words, but instance every occurrence of the word.

This design he carried out between the years 1857 and

1864.

Grein's Texts.

The text of Beowulf is found in Grein's Bibliothek der

angelsdchsichen Poesie, Erster Band, Gottingen, 1857,

where it occupies pp. 255-341. A second edition, several

times re-edited, is Beovulf, nebst den Fragmenten Finns-

burg und Waldere, Kassel und Gottingen, 1867.

Grein never saw the MS. of the poem ^, He based his

text on a collation of all the preceding editions. This was

unfortunate, because, had Grein seen the MS., he would

doubtless have hastened to make a correct transcription

of it. As it was, his edition necessarily shares some of the

faults of its predecessors, since the text had never yet been

accurately transcribed. A simple illustration of this defect

may be seen by examining line aai8 of the text, where

Grein reads,be fire, fyrena hyrde,

following Thorpe^. As has been pointed out, this is an

impossible reading, and one for which there is no justifica-

tion in the MS. Thorpe, however, had presented it as the

MS. reading, and Grein could not but copy it.

' See Grein-Wiilker, Bibliothek, Vorrede.' See supra, p. 52.

Grem's Translations 57

Like Keinble, Grein had a supreme respect for the

readings of the MS,, and he announced his intention of

following this reading wherever possible :

—

'Bei der Behandlung des Textes gait als erste Pflicht, handschrift-

liche Lesarten, wo es nur immer moglich war, zu retten und nament-

lich auch manche angezweifelte, den Lexicis fremde Worter als wol-

begriindet nachzuweisen : nur da, wo Verderbniss auf der Hand liegt,

habe ich mir mit der grossten Vorsicht Aenderungen erlaubt oder

bereits von Andern vorgeschlagene Aenderungen aufgenommen, wobei

ich mich moglichst eng an das handschriftlich gebotene anzuschliessen

suchte.'—Vorwort, iv. (Bidl.).

This was wise. Since the days of Kemble, emendation

had become unnecessarily frequent. We have seen in

what a light-hearted way Thorpe spoke of the 'blunders

of the scribes,' and how careless he was in the preparation

of his text. The dialect had not yet received proper

attention, and the copyists were blamed for errors that

they never made.

Grein was extremely clever in filling the lacunae of the

MS., and his conjectural emendations are frequently re-

tained by later editors.

Still another improvement which he introduced was the

full punctuation of the text ; this was superior to any that

had preceded it. In previous editions defective punctuation

had obscured the sense of the lines; here it was made

a factor in their interpretation.

Theory of Translation.

Grein's theory of translation is sufficiently expressed in

the Vorrede to the Dichtungen :

—

'Die Sammlung von metrischen Uebersetzungen angelsachsischer

Dichtungen, deren erster Band hiermit der Oeffentlichkeit iibergeben

wird, soil einen doppelten Zweck erfiillen. Einerseits betrachte ich

dieselben als eine wesentliche Erganzung, gleichsam als fortlaufenden

Commentar zu meiner gleichzeitig in demselben Verlag erscheinenden

Textausgabe der angelsachsischen Dichter, indem sie meine Interpreta-


tion der Originaltexte, worin ich oft von meinen Vorgangern abweiche,

einfach vor Augen legen. Andrerseits aber bezweckte ich dadurch die

Bekanntschaft mit den in vieler Beziehung so herrlichen dichterischen

Erzeugnissen des uns engverwandten englischen Volkes aus der Zeit

vor dem gewaltsamen Eindringen des romanischen Elements durch

die normannische Eroberung auch in weiteren Kreisen anzubahnen,

was sie sowol nach ihrem Inhalte als auch nach der poetischen

Behandlung des Stoffes gewiss in hohem Grade verdienen. Daher

war ich eifrigst bemiiht, die Uebersetzung dem Original in moglichster

Treue nach Inhalt, Ausdruck und Form eng anzuschliessen : nament-

lich suchte ich, soweit es immer bei dem heutigen Stande unserer

Sprache thunlich war, auch den Rhythmus des Originals nachzubilden,

wobei es vor allem auf die Beibehaltung der eigentumlichen Stellung

der Stabreime ankam, ein Punkt, der bei der Uebertragung alter

AUiterationspoesien nur zu oft vemachlassigt wird.'—Vorrede, iii.

Differences between the two Editions.

The second edition of the translation (see supra, p. 65)

was edited from Grein's ' Handexemplar' of the Dichtungen

after his death by Professor Wiilkerj who has also re-edited

the text of the Bihliothek. The differences are seldom

more than verbal, and are largely in the early parts of the

poem. The second edition is, of course, superior.

Extract.

III.

Darauf sprach Hunferd, Ecglafs Sohn,

der zu den Fiissen sass dem Fiirst der Skildinge, 500

entband Streitrunen, (ihm war Beowulfs Reise

des mutigen Seefahrers sehr zum Aerger,

da er durchaus nicht gonnte, dass ein anderer Mannje mehr des Ruhmes in dem Mittelkreise

besasse unterm Himmel, denn er selber hatte)

:

505' Bist du der Beowulf, der einst mit Breka schwammim Wettkampfe durch die weite See,

wo in Verwegenheit ihr die Gewasser priiftet

und aus toUem Prahlen in die tiefen Fluten

wagtet euer Leben? Nicht wehren konnt' euch beiden 510

weder Lieb noch Leid der Leute einer

Grein's Translations 59

die sorgenvoUe Fahrt, als in den Sund ihr rudertet,

wo ihr den Oceansstrom mit euren Armen decktet,

die Holmstrassen masset, mit den Handen schluget

und iiber den Ocean glittet : der Eisgang des Winters 515

wallete in Wogen; in des Wassers Gebiet

plagtet ihr euch sieben Nachte. Im Schwimmspiel iiberwand er dich

:

er hatte mehr der Macht ; zur Morgenzeit

trug ihn der Holm da zu den Headoranjen.

Von dannen suchte er die sUsse Heimat 520

lieb seinen Leuten, das Land der Brondinge,

die liebliche Friedeburg, wo er sein Volk hatte,

Burg und Bauge. Da hatte all sein Erbot wider dich

voUbracht in Wahrheit Beanstans Sohn\'

Criticism, of the Translation.

The translation is a literal line-for-line version. Its

superiority to its predecessors is, therefore, one with the

superiority of the text on which it is founded.

The translation became at once the standard commentary

on Beowulf, and this position it retained for many years.

It is still the standard literal translation in Germany, none

of the later versions having equaled it in point of accuracy.

SIMROCK'S TRANSLATION

Beowulf. Das alteste deutsche Epos. Uebersetzt und

erlautert von Dr. Karl Simrock. Stuttgart und Augsburg

:

J. G. Cotta'scher Verlag, 1859. 8", pp. iv, 203.

Third German Translation. Imitative Measures.

Simrock.

Dr. Karl Simrock (1802-1876) brought to the trans-

lation of Beowulf the thorough knowledge of a scholar,

' The second edition presents no variation from this save the omission

of the comma in line 501.

6o The Translations of Beowulf

the fine feeling and technique of a poet, and an enviable

reputation as a translator of Old German poetry. At the

time when he made his translation of Beowulf, he was

Professor of Old German Literature at Bonn, whither he

had been called because of his contributions to the study

of Old German mythology. His title to remembrance

rests, however, on his metrical rendering of the Nibelungen-

lied, a work which, in 1892, had passed into its fifty-

second edition. As an original poet, Simrock is remembered

for his Wieland der Schmied (1835), and Gedichte (1844).

Object of the Translation.

Simrock wished to do for Beowulf what he had done for

the Nibelungenlied, Walther von der Vogelweide, and Der

arme Heinrich. He objected to the too literal work of

Ettmiiller ^ and Grein ^, hoping in his own work to make

the poem readable and to dispense with a ' note for every

third word '

:

' Geist und Stimmung einer femen Heldenzeit anklingen zu lassen,

und doch dem Ausdruck die frische Farbe des Lebens zu verleihen.'—Vorrede, iii.

In this ambition he was justified by his success as a trans-

lator of Old German poetry.

Nature of the Translation.

The diction of the version is, on the whole, characterized

by simplicity and ease. Yet the author, like many another

translator of Old English, tries to give his style an archaic

tinge by preserving the compound forms characteristic of

that language, such as Lustholz, Aelgelage, Kampfrunen,

a fault that Ettmiiller had carried to excess. These forms

he sometimes used to the exclusion of simpler, or even

' See supra, p. 37. " See supra, p. 55.

Simrock's Translation 6i

more literal, words. The nature of the German language,

however, keeps these from being as repulsive as they are

in English, but they are sufficiently strange to mystify andannoy the reader.

The feature of his translation for which Simrock wasmost concerned was the measure :

'Vor AUem aber den Wohllaut, der echter Poesie unzertrennlich

verbunden ist, das schien mir die erste Bedingung, damit der Leser . .

.

den Sinn ahne und von der Schonheit des Gedichtes ergriffen vonBlatt zu Blatt getragen werde. Nur so glaubte ich eine tausendjahrige

Kluft iiberbriicken und dieser mit Angeln und Sachsen ausgewanderten

Dichtung neues Heimatsrecht bei uns erwerben zu konnen.'—Vorrede,

iii, iv.

He also preserved alliteration, believing that a fondness

for that poetic adornment may be easily acquired, and that

it is by no means inconsistent with the genius of moderntongues.

Relation of Translation and other Parts of the Book.

The notes to the translation contain discussions of the

episodes and of the mythological personages of the poem.

There is a discussion of the poetic worth of Beowulf, and

an argument for the German origin of the poem. But

the translation is the raison d'itre of the volume, and other

parts are strictly subordinated to it. The Finnsburg frag-

ment is inserted at the end of section 16. As the author

does not wish to disturb the order of Beowulf, he is obliged

to place the poem at the end of the Finnsburg episode

(in Beowulf), a very ill-chosen position, where it can only

confuse the general reader more than the obscure lines to

which it is related. This practice of inserting the Finns-

burg fragment, lately revived by Hoffmann ^, has been

generally repudiated.

' See infra, p. 99.


Text, and Indebtedness to Preceding Scholars.

The text followed is Grein's (1857)1. The translator

acknowledges his indebtedness to the versions of Ettmiiller

and Grein.

Extract.

8. HUNFERD.

Da begann Hunferd, Ecglafs Sohn,

Der zu Fussen sass dem Fiirsten der Schildinge,

Kampfrunen zu entbinden : ihm war Beowulfs Kunft,

Des kiihnen Seeseglers, schrecklich zuwider.

AUzu ungern sah er, dass ein anderer MannIn diesem Mittelkreis mehr des RuhmesUnterm Himmel hatte als Hunferd selbst

:

'Bist du der Beowulf, der mit Breka schwammIm Wettkampf einst durch die weite See?

Wo ihr tollkiihn Untiefen priiftet,

Mit vermessnem Muth in den Meeresschliinden

Das Leben wagtet? Vergebens wehrten euch

Die Lieben und Leiden, die Leute zumal

So sorgvoUe Raise, als ihr zum Sunde rudertet,

Das angstreiche Weltmeer mit Armen decktet.

Die Meerstrassen masset, mit den Handen schlugt

Durch die Brandung gleitend ; aufbrauste die Tiefe

Wider des Winters Wuth. Im Wasser miihtet ihr

Euch sieben Nachte : da besiegt' er dich im Schw mmen.Seiner Macht war mehr: in des Morgens Friihe

Hob ihn die Hochflut zu den Headordmen.

Von dannen sucht' er die siisse Heimat,

Das Leutenliebe, das Land der Brondinge,

Die feste Friedensburg, wo er Volk besass.

Burg und Bauge. Sein Erbieten hatte dir

Da Beanstans Gebomer voUbracht und geleistet.'


Simrock's translation is commendable for its faithfulness.

It is, moreover, a simple and readable version, though in

^ See supra, p. 56.

Simrock's Translation 63

these respects it is not equal to Heyne's rendering which

was to follow it ; but it was easily superior to Grein's.

Yet, in spite of this, the book is not well known amongGerman translations, and has never passed into a second

edition. This is surprising when we consider the success

of Simrock's previous translations. The partial failure is

accounted for by two facts : (i) Simrock's reputation as

a scholar was not equal to that of Grein or Heyne,

nor had he the advantage of editing the text; (a)

the measure which the translation employed has never

been popular among readers. No German translation in

imitative measures, with the single exception of Grein's

(which has made its appeal as a scholarly work and not as

a piece of literature), has ever passed into a second edition;

while versions couched in iambic lines or Nibelungen

meters have been reprinted.

HEYNE'S TRANSLATION

Beowulf. Angelsachsisches Heldengedicht iibersetzt von

Moritz Heyne. Paderborn : Druck und Verlag von Ferd.

Schoningh, 1853. ia°, pp. viii, 127.

Zweite Auflage. Paderborn: Schoningh, 1898. 8°,

pp. viii, 134.

Fourth German Translation. Iambic Pentameter.

Heyne.

The name of Moritz Heyne is one of the most illustrious

in the history of Beowulf scholarship. The Heyne editions

of the text^ have been standard for nearly forty years,

1 There have been six—1863, 1868, 1873, 1879. 1888, 1898; the last

two are by Dr. Adolf Socin.


while the translation has been recently reprinted (1898).

Beside his work on the Beowulf, this scholar was to be-

come prominent as editor of the Heliand and of Ulfilas,

and as one of the staff appointed to complete Grimm's

Dictionary.

At the time when he printed his edition of the Beowulf,

Heyne was a student at Halle, and but twenty-six years

of age (bom 1837)i- In his work he had some assistance

from Professor Leo ^ of Halle.

Relation of Text and Translation.

The translation was founded on the text of 1863. Atthe time it was by far the best edition that had yet

appeared. It was furnished with an excellent glossary.

The text had the advantage of the valuable work done byGrundtvig * in collating the two transcripts made by Thor-

kelin *. It thus came a stage nearer the MS. readings

than any other existing edition, while it avoided the un-

necessary conjectures of the Danish editor.

Heyne's text having been five times re-edited, the first

edition of the translation often fails to conform to readings

which have been introduced into the text in later editions ;

but the free nature of the translation makes this of no

great importance.

Differences between the First and Second Editions of the

Translation.

The differences between the two editions are not of

much importance. The translation is in general, though

not always, brought up to the late editions of the text,

' Heyne is at present Professor in the University of Gottingen.^ See infra, p. 121.' In Beowulfs Beorh. See also supra, p. 22.* See supra, p, 16.

Heyne's Translation 65

and some changes are made for the improvement of themeter.

The first edition contains 3201 lines; the second 3307.The theory and aim of the translation are not changedat all.

Aim of Heyne's Translation.

In this translation of the Beowulf, Heyne attempts to

popularize what he considers the most beautiful of the

Old English poems. He says of it

—

' Es ist nicht die erste, die ich biete ; gleichwol hoffe ich es werdedie erste sein, die auch einem grossern Publicum, das noch nicht

Gelegenheit hatte, sich mit den altem Dialecten unserer Sprache zu

beschaftigen, verstandlich ist. Die altem deutschen Uebersetzer haben,

bei alien Verdiensten ihrer Arbeit, unserer neuhochdeutschen Mutter-

spracbe teilweise ubel mitgespielt.'—^Vorwort, iii.

With this in view, Heyne put his translation out in a

form that would make it accessible to all. This was in

itself an innovation. The works of Ettmiiller ^ and Sim-rock * had been in a more elaborate format, while Grein's

translation ' was not only expensive, but encumbered with

other work, and intended primarily for the scholar.


Heyne chose a new medium for his version, the unrimed

iambic line. His aim being to get his book read, he

avoided a literal translation, and rendered with commend-able freedom, though not with inaccuracy. He used no

strange compounds, and shunned an unnatural verse. Thus

he produced the most readable translation that has ever

appeared in Germany. Of his own attempt he says

—

'Die vorliegende Uebertragung ist so frei, dass sie das fiir uns

schwer oder gar nicht genau nachzubildende alliterierende Versmass

des Originals gegen fiinffiissige lamben aufgibt, und zu Gunsten des

^ See supra, p. 37. ' See supra, p. 59.' See supra, p. 55-

E


Sinnes sich der angelsachsischen Wort- und Satzstellung nicht zu

angstUch anschmiegt ; dagegen auch wieder so genau, dass sie hoffent-

li'ch ein Scherflein zum voUkommenern Verstandniss des Textes bei-

tragen wird.'—Vorwort, iii.

Heyne's theory of translation is one that has been very

little in vogue in Germany. He has been criticized on all

sides for his freedom. Yet the criticism is undeserved.

Heyne is never paraphrastic—he never adds anything

foreign to the poem. He merely believes in translating

the obscure as well as the simple ideas of his text. His' freedom ' seldom amounts to more than this

—

He beet ne aleh, 1. 80 (he belied not his promise)

Was er gelobt, erfiillt er.

He occasionally inserts a word for metrical reasons, and

sometimes, in the interests of clearness, a demonstrative or

personal pronoun, or even a proper name (cf. 1. 500 of the

extract).

Extract.

IX.

Da sagte Hunferd, Ecglafs Sohn, der Hrodgar 500

zu Fiissen sass, dem Herrn der Schildinge,

des Streites Siegel loste er (denn sehr

war Beowulfes Ankunft ihm verhasst,

des kiihnen Meerbefahrers ; er vergonnte

es Niemand, mehr des Ruhmes als er selber 505

sich unterm Himmel jemals zu erwerben)

:

'Bist du der Beowulf, der einst mit Breca

sich auf der weiten See im Schwimmkampf mass,

als ihr euch kiihnlich in die Tiefen stiirztet,

und mit verwegnen Briisten euer Leben 510

im tiefen Wasser wagtet? Niemand konnte,

nicht Freund, nicht Feind, des miihevoUen Wegeseuch hindem. Da schwammt ihr hinaus in See,

wo ihr die wilde Flut mit Armen decktet,

des Wassers Strassen masset und die Hande 515die Wogen werfen liesst ; so glittet ihr

hin iibers Meer. Die winterlichen Wellen,

Heyne's Translation 67

sie giengen hoch. Der Tage sieben miihtet

ihr euch im Wasser: jener iiberwand dich

im Schwimmen, denn er hatte grossre Kraft. 520Da trug die Hochflut ihn zur Morgenzeit

auf zu den Hadoramen, von wo aus er,

der seinem Volke liebe, seinen Erbsitz

im Land der Brandinge, die schone Burgerreichte. Dort besass er Land und Leute 525und Schatze. Was er gegen dich gelobt,

das hatte Beanstans Sohn fiirwahr erfiillt.'

The extract illustrates sufficiently the characteristics of

Heyne's rendering. In the first place, attention may be

called to the extreme freedom of the verse, a freedom

which at times makes the composition verge upon prose.

In the second place, the translation of the Old English

phrase beadu-runen onband should be noticed, and com-pared with the translations of Ettmiiller, Grein, and Simrock,

who have respectively

—

entband beadurunen

entband Streitrunen

Kampfrunen . . . entbinden.

Heyne is the only one who translates the phrase in such

a way as to make the words intelligible to a reader un-

acquainted with Old English. Finally, it should be noticed

that the translation is quite as accurate as those which

preceded it. Heyne certainly succeeded in his attempt

to make the poem more intelligible to the general reader

than it had ever been before. While not so serviceable to

the scholar as Grein's translation, it is undoubtedly the

most enjoyable of the German versions.

E 3


VON WOLZOGEN'S TRANSLATION

Beovulf (Barwelf). Das alteste deutsche Heldengedicht.

Aus dem Angelsachsischen von Hans von Wolzogen.

Leipzig: Philipp Reclam, jun. (187a?).

Volume 430 of Reclam's Universal-Bibliothek. Small 8",

pp. 104.

Fifth German Translation. Imitative Measures.

Concerning the Translator.

Hans von Wolzogen (born 1848), popularly known as

a writer on the Wagnerian operas and as conductor of the

Bayreuther Blatter, translated three Germanic poems for

Reclam's ' Bibliothek ' : Beowulf, 187a, Der arme Heinrich,

1873, ^tid th^ Edda, 1877. There is no evidence that he

had any special interest in Old English studies.

Aim of the Volume.

As expressed in the ' Vorbemerkung,' the aim of the

translator was (i) to provide a readable translation ' fiir

unser modernes Publicum,' and (%) to make a convenient

handbook for the student, so that the beginner, with

Grein's text ^ and the present translation, might read the

Beowulf with no very great difficulty. So von Wolzogen

made his version ' more literal than Heyne's, but freer than

Simrock's ' (p. i).


The translation is in alliterative measures, called by the

translator imitative of the Old English. Von Wolzogen is

concerned for this feature of his work, and is at pains to

* See supra, p. 55.

Von IVolzogen's Translation 69

give what he considers a full account of the original verse

as well as a lengthy defence of alliteration. Archaic touches

are occasional. The names are ' re-translated into German

'

according to a system of which, apparently, von Wolzogen

alone holds the key :

—

'. . . diese angelsachsische Form selbst nur eine Uebertragungsform

aus den urspriinglich deutschen Namen ist, wobei manch Einer sogar

sinnlos verdreht worden, wie z. B. der Name des Helden selbst, der

aus dem deutschen Barwelf, Jungbar, zum Beovulf, Bienenwolf, gemacht

worden war.'—Vorbemerkung, p. 5.

The account of the Fall of Hygelac and of Heardred,

2354-96, is shifted to line 3307 (p. 75).

Text Used.

The translation is apparently founded on one of Grein's

texts ^, but the work is so inaccurate that exact informa-

tion on this point is impossible from merely internal

evidence.

Extract.

Dritter Gesang.

HUNFRID.

So sagte Htmfrid^, der Sohn des Eckleif,

Dem Schildingenfursten zu Fiissen gesessen,

Kampfrunen entbindend (es krankte des Barwelf

Muthtge Meerfahrt machtig den Stolzen,

Der an Ehren nicht mehr einem andern Manne 5

Zu gonnen gemeint war im Garten der Mitte,

Als wie unter'm Himmel erworben er selbst !)

:

•Bist du der Barwelf, der mit Brecht bekampfte

Auf weiter See . im Wetteschwimmen,

Da ubermiithig und ehrbegierig 10

Eu'r Leben ihr wagtet in Wassertiefen,

' See Vorbemerkung, p. 3." The italics, save those used for proper names (which are von Wol-

zogen's), indicate inaccurate renderings.


Die beid' ihr durchschwammt ? Da brachte zum Schwanken

Den Vorsatz der furchtbaren Fahrt euch Keiner

Mit Bitten und Warnen, tmd Beide durchtheiltet

Mit gebreiteten Armen die Brandung ihr rudernd, 15

Durchmasset das Meer mit meisternden HandenAuf wogenden Wegen, wahrend der Wirbelsturm

Rast' in den Well'n, und ihr rahgt mit dem Wasser

Durch sieben Nachte. Der Sieger im Neidspiel

Zeigte sich macht'ger; zur Zeit des Morgens 20

Riss zu den Haduraumen die Flut ihn

;

ins eigene Erbe enteilt' er von dort,

Zum Lande der Brandinge, lieb seinen Mannen,

Zur bergenden Burg. Da gebot er dem Volke

Schlossreich und schatzreich. Wie geschworen, so hielt 25

Sein Versprechen dir redlich der Sprossling des Bonstein'


Von Wolzogen's translation is hardly trustworthy. Aspecimen of his free interpretation of the Beowulf diction

may be seen in the footnote on page 13, where he defines

horngeap (i. e. ' with wide intervals between its pinnacles of

horn ') as 'hornreich,' and translates hornreced, 'Hornburg.'

Inaccurate renderings of the Old English have been noted

above in italics. They reveal an especial difficulty with the

kenning, a device which von Wolzogen apparently did not

understand, since the entire translation shows an attempt

to interpret the kenning hypotactically. Had the translator

been making a paraphrase, inaccuracies like ' muthige

Meerfahrt' and 'ihr rangt mit dem Wasser' might be

excused ; but in a translation which was avowedly literal

(more literal than Heyne's) they appear to be due to

nothing less than ignorance and carelessness. To give

one example from the thousand that bear out the truth of

this statement, we may cite line 561 (p. 37),

Ic Mm penode

deoran sweorde swa hit gedefe wees.

Von Wolsogen's Translation 71

which is translated,

dawider doch diente

Mein treffliches Schwert, das treu mir beistand. (p. 27.)

This is not paraphrase ; it is sheer misapprehension of the

Old English.

A similar misapprehension is seen in line 15 of the

extract,

Mit Bitten und Warnen,

which we are asked to accept as a translation for

ne leof ne lad. (1. 511.)

The verse of von Wolzogen's translation is the poorest of

the German attempts at imitative measures. The translator

is obliged at times to append footnotes explaining the

scansion of his lines (see pp. 33, 34, 65, 91). The cesura

is frequently not in evidence (cf. lines 14 and aa, both of

which are also metrically incorrect) ; the lines are often

deficient in length (p. a9, line a6; p. 31, line 19; p. 3a,

line 19).

ARNOLD'S EDITION

Beowulf, a heroic poem of the eighth century, with a

translation, notes, and appendix, by Thomas Arnold, M.A.

London : Longmans, Green & Co., 1876. 8°, pp. xliii, 333.

Fourth English Translation, Prose.


No edition of the text of Beowulf had appeared in

England since the work of Thorpe ^ now twenty years

1 See supra, p. 49.


old. The textual criticism of the Germans had, mean-

while, greatly advanced the interpretation of the poem.

Grain's text of the poem had passed into a second, and

Heyne's into a third, edition. There was an opportunity,

therefore, for an improved English edition which should

incorporate the results of German scholarship. This

edition Mr. Thomas Arnold (1833-1900) undertook to

supply.

Relation of the Parts.

The Introduction contained a new theory of the origin

of the poem ^. But the important part of the book was

the text and translation. There is no glossary^- Thenotes are at the bottom of the page. Here glossarial,

textual, and literary information is bundled together.

There is a very inadequate bibliography in the Introduction.


The translation is a literal prose version, printed under

the text. It resembles Kemble's work^, rather than

Thorpe's*. It eschews unwieldy compounds, and makes

no attempt to acquire an archaic flavor. Supplied words

are bracketed.

Criticism of the Text.

Arnold had access to the MS., and gave the most

thorough description of it that had yet appeared. But,

strangely enough, he did not make it the basis of his

edition. He speaks of a 'partial collation' of the MS.,

' A theory which the author continued to regard as partially tenable.

See Notes on Beowulf {London, 1898), p. 114.* Contrast this with the editions of Heyne. See p. 64.° See supra, p. 33.* See supra, p. 49.

Arnold's Edition 73

but this appears to have been nothing mroe than a

transcription of certain fragmentary parts of the MS.One of these passages is printed in the Introduction,

where it is referred to as an 'exact transcript'; yet, in

collating it with the Zupitza Autotypes, I have found

the following errors :

—

Line 2219^, ^qowgs for )'eofes.

3330, hlomfor beorna.

3331, geweoldumy!??' ge weoldum.

3333, b/7i^>.

3335, wea . . . for weal . . .

3336, inwlitode, ivmSitodefor mwatide.

Of course the faded condition of the MS. offers some

excuse for one or two of these errors, but, if we encounter

mistakes in a short transcript professedly exact, what

would have been the fate of the text had the entire MS.been collated ?

Professor Garnett^ has noted that Arnold's text was

taken from Thorpe's, with some changes to suit the 1857

text of Grein. In order to test the accuracy of these state-

ments I have made a collation of the texts of Arnold,

Thorpe, and the MS. The list of errors in Thorpe's text,

which I have mentioned in a discussion of that work ^ is

repeated bodily in Arnold's. Yet there was no excuse at

this time for the retention of many of these readings.

Grundtvig* had corrected several of them as early as 1861

by his collation of the Thorkelin transcripts*; Heynehad got rid of them by collating Thorpe's work with

Kemble's® and Grundtvig's, Arnold makes almost no

^ The numbers are those of Wyatt's text ; for Zupitza's and Arnold's

add I.

^ See Amer. Journal of Philol. I. I. 90.' See supra, p. 51.* See Beowulfs Beorh, and p. 22." See supra, p. IS- ° See supra, p. 33.


reference to the work of Heyne, and incorporates none of

his emendations. He also overlooked Grein's 1867 text,

which contained new readings and a glossary. Arnold

himself did not emend the text in a single instance.

Extract.

VIII.

Hunferth spake, the son of Ecglaf, who sat at the feet of the master

of the Scyldings ; he unbound the secret counsel of his malice. Theexpedition of Beowulf, the valiant mariner, was to him a great cause

of offence ; for that he allowed not that any other man on the earth

should ever appropriate more deeds of fame under heaven than he

himself. 'Art thou that Beowulf who strove against Breca in a

swimming-match on the broad sea ? where ye two for emulation

explored the waves, and for foolish boasting ventured your lives in

the deep water. Nor could any man, either friend or foe, warn you

off from your perilous adventure. Then ye two rowed on the sea,

where with your arms [outspread] ye covered the ocean-stream,

measured the sea-ways, churned up [the water] with your hands,

glided over the deep ; the sea was tossing with waves, the icy wintry

sea. Ye two toiled for seven nights in the watery realm ; he overcame

thee in the match, he had more strength. Then, at dawn of morn, the

sea cast him up on [the coast of] the Heathoreamas ; thence he, dear

in the sight of his people, sought his loved native soil, the land of the

Brondings, the fair safe burgh .where he was the owner of folk, burgh,

and precious jewels.'—Pages 37, 38.


The translation is literal, and its value is therefore in

direct ratio to the value of the text, which has been

discussed above.

Botkine's Translation 75

BOTKINE'S TRANSLATIONBeowulf, £pop^e Anglo-Saxonne. Traduite en fran9ais,

pour la premiere fois, d'apr^s le texte original par L. Bot-

kine, Membre de la Societd Nationale havraise d'Etudes

diverses. Havre: Lepelletier, 1877. 8°, pp. 108.

First French Translation. Prose.

Old English Studies in France.

The only attention that Beowulf had received in France

prior to this time was in the work of Sandras, De Carmini-

bus CcBdmoni adiudicatis^. Other scholars, if they devoted

themselves to English at all, studied chiefly the later

periods of the literature^. In 1867 the author of the

article on Beowulf in Larousse's Dictionary could say,

' Le po6me n'est pas connu en France.' In 1876 Botkine

published a historical and critical analysis of the poem^.This was the first scholarly attention that the poemreceived in France. In the following year Botkine's

translation appeared.

France has added nothing to our knowledge of Beowulf;

there has never been another translation, nor even a reprint

of Botkine's. There has been no further scholarly work

done on the poem ; and the principal literary notices of it,

such as Taine's and Jusserand's, have been notoriously

unsympathetic. The genius of Old English poetry is at

the furthest possible remove from that of the French.

Aim of the Translation.

It will be made evident in the section that follows on the

nature of Botkine's translation that his work could never

* See infra, p. 123.^ Save Michel. An account of his work may be found in Wiilker's

Grundriss, § 102.^ Analyse historique et gdographique. Paris, Leroux, 1876.


have been intended for scholars. Had it been so intended,

the translator would have rendered more literally. His

introduction 1 proves that the book was addressed to the

general reader rather than the student of Old English.

The Introduction deals with the nature of Old English

poetry, and makes historical and critical remarks on the

Beowulf. There are occasional notes explanatory of the

text.

In his critical work the author is chiefly indebted to

Grein ^ and Heyne *.


The translation, which is in prose, is characterized, as the

author himself admits, by extreme freedom and occasional

omission of words and phrases. The author's defence of

these may be given here :

—

' Je crois devoir me disculper, en prdsentant cette premiere traduction

frangaise de Beowulf, du double reproche qui pourrait m'^tre adressd

d'avoir supprimd des passages du poeme et de n'en avoir pas suffisam-

ment respectd la lettre. D'abord je dois dire que les passages que j'ai

supprim^s (il y en a fort peu) sont ou tr^s obscurs ou d'une superfluity

choquante. Ensuite, il m'a sembld qu'en donnant une certaine libertd

k ma traduction et en dvitant autant que possible d'y mettre les redites

et les periphrases de I'original anglo-saxon, je la rendrais meilleure et

plus conforme &. I'esprit v&itable de I'oeuvre. Est-ce sacrifier du reste

la fid^litd d'une traduction que d'dpargner au public la lecture de details

le plus souvent bizarres et inintelligibles ? N'est-il pas plus logique

d'en finir de suite avec des artifices po^tiques inconnus k nos littdra-

tures modemes, plut6t que de vouloir s'escrimer en vain k les reproduire

en frangais ? Et alors m6me qu'on poursuivrait jusqu'au bout une tilche

si ingrate, pourrait-on se flatter en fin de compte d'avoir conserve au

poeme son cachet si indiscutable d'originalitd ? Non certes.'—Aver-

tissement, p. 3.

' II ne faut pas oublier que, la langue fran^aise diffdrant compl&te-

^ p. 4.' See supra, p. 55.

3 Qaca ciiT»ro r» PtO

• see I

^ See supra, p. 63.


ment par ses racines de I'anglo-saxon, il ne m'a pas €i€ permis d'dluder

les diflScultds de I'original comme on a pu le faire patfois en anglais et

en allemand.'—Note, p. 4.

It has been customary, in speaking of the work of

M. Botkine, to call attention to the numerous omissions.

This is misleading. The passages which the translator has

omitted are not the obscure episodes or the long digressions,

but the metaphors, the parenthetical phrases, and especially

kennings and similar appositives.

For example, the original has :

—

pier set hyde stod hringed-stefna

Isig ond ut-fus. (1. 32 f.)

which Botkine renders :

—

Dans la porte se trouvait une barque bien dquip^e. (p. 29.)

The principal passages which Botkine omits entirely are :

iooab-ioo8a; io57b-io6a; 1363-1276; 1679-1686.

Text Used.

The author seems to have been well acquainted with the

scholarly work done on Beowulf up to his time. He men-

tions in his Notes the interpretations of Grein, Grundtvig ^,

Ettmiiller *, Thorpe ^, and Kemble *. He appears to follow,

in general, the text of Heyne, not, however, invariably.

Extract.

IX.

Hunferth, fils d'Ecglaf, qui dtait assis aux pieds du prince des

Scyldingas, parla ainsi (I'expddition de Beowulf' le remplissait de

chagrin, parce qu'il ne voulait pas convenir qu'aucun homme ' e(it plus

de gloire ^ que lui-mSme) :

'N'es-tu pas le Beowulf qui essaya ses forces k la nage sur la

» See supra, p. 22. ' See supra, p. 37.

» See supra, p. 49.' See supra, p. 33.

" Omits modges mere-faran. ' Omits middan-geardes.

^ Omits under heofonum.


mer immense avec Breca quand, par bravade, vous avez tentd les flots

et que vous avez follement hasardd votre vie dans I'eau profonde ?

Aucun homme, qu'il fut ami ou ennemi, ne put vous empScher d'entre-

prendre ce triste voyage.—Vous avez nag^ alors sur la mer', vous

avez suivi les sentiers de Tocfen. L'hiver agitait les vagues '- Vous

^tes restds en d^tresse pendant sept nuits sous la puissance des flots,

mais il t'a vaincu dans la joflte parce qu'il avait plus de force que toi.

Le matin, le flot le porta sur Heatho-ramas et il alia visiter sa chfere

patrie ' le pays des Brondingas, ou il possddait le peuple, une ville et

des trdsors. Le fils de Beanstan accomplit entiferement la promesse

qu'il t'avait faite.'

Criticism of the Extract and Translation.

If the translation is compared with the text, the reader

will be struck by the characteristic beauty of the words

omitted. We may agree with the translator regarding the

difficulty of rendering compound and kenning into French,

and yet the very absence of an attempt to do this

jeopardizes the value of the translation more than the

omission of many episodes, for it brings it dangerously near

to paraphrase. 'Vous avez nag^ alors sur la mer, vous

avez suivi les sentiers de I'ocean,' cannot possibly be called

a translation of

—

fa git on sund reon;

))ser git eagor-stream earmum fehton,

mJetoh mere-strseta, mundum brugdon,

glidon ofer gar-secg. 11. 512, ff.

A part of the story has been thrown away with the adjec-

tives. The force and beauty of the passage are gone.

But there is another danger in this paraphrastic method.

In omitting words and phrases, the translator will often

misinterpret his original. This is especially true of

Botkine's work in the obscure episodes where he wishes

to make the meaning perfectly clear. In attempting to

simplify the Old English, he departs from the original

' Omits lines 513-515 "._ _^ Omits wintrys wylum.

' Omits leof his leodum.


sense. Instances of this may be brought forward from the

Finn episode

:

Folcwaldan sunu

dogra gehwylce Dene weor])ode,

Hengestes heap hringum wenede,

efne swa swide sinc-gestreonum

fsettan goldes, swa he Fresena cyn

on beor-sele byldan wolde. 11. 1089 ff.

The idea is misinterpreted in Botkine's

—

Le fils de Folcwalda (stipulait qu'il) leur ferait chaque jour une

distribution de trdsors. (p. Jo.)

Again, at line 11 17 it is said of the lady

—

earme on eaxle ides gnornode,

meaning that the lady stood by the body (shoulder) of the

corpse as it lay on the pyre. Botkine makes of this

—

'EUe poussait des lamentations en s'appuyant sur le bras de son

fils.' (p. so.)

The rendering is not without its amusing features, chiefly

illustrations of the inability of the French language to

accommodate itself to typically Germanic expressions.

Thus when Hrothgar says what is the equivalent of

'Thanks be to God for this blessed sight,' Botkine puts

into his mouth the words :' Que le Tout-Puissant re9oive

mes profonds remerctments pour ce spectacle ! '—which

might have been taken from a diplomatic note.

LUMSDEN'S TRANSLATION

Beowulf, an Old English Poem, translated into Modern

Rhymes, by Lieut.-Colonel H. W. Lumsden^ London:

C. Kegan Paul & Co., 1881. 8°, pp. xx, 114.

' Col. Lumsden's translation of the Battle of Maldon, Macmillaris

Magazine, 55 : 371, has been generally admired.

8o The Translations of Beowulf

Beowulf, an Old English Poem, translated into ModernRhymes, by Lieut.-Colonel H. W. Lumsden, late Royal

Artillery. Second edition, revised and corrected. London

:

Kegan Paul, Trench and Co., 1883. 8°, pp. xxx, 179.

Fifth English Translation. Ballad Measures.

Differences between the two Editions, and Indebtedness

to Preceding Scholars,

In the first edition of the translation a number of passages

were omitted. Some of these omissions were owing to

corrupt text, some to extreme obscurity of the original, and

some merely to the fact that the original was deemed

uninteresting. The principal omissions were : 83-86

;

767-770; 1734-1758; 1931-1963; 2061-2,062,] 3314-2231;

2475 ; 2930-2932 ; 3150-3156. These passages were

inserted in the second edition.

' In this edition I have endeavoured to remove some of the blunders

which disfigured its predecessor. . . . Some parts have been entirely

rewritten, and the passages formerly omitted . . . have been inserted. . .

.

A few notes have been added ; and the introduction has been materially

altered and, I hope, improved.'—Preface to the Second Edition, p. v.

Aim and Nature of the Translation.

Lumsden's desire was to produce a readable version of

the poem. Thus his work resembles that ofWackerbarth^

;

and, like Wackerbarth, he couched his translation in ballad

measures. Lumsden does not vary his measure, but pre-

serves the iambic heptameter throughout. His lines rime

in couplets.

No attempt is made to preserve alliteration or archaic

diction.

The Introduction and Notes contain popular expositions

of the work of preceding scholars. Several of the Notes

are original and well worth while (see Notes A, C, G, M).

' See supra, p. 45.

Lumsden's Translation 8i

Texts Used.

The translation is based on Grein's text of 1857^ and

Arnold's text (1876) ^. Garnett has shown ^ that Lumsdenignored the 1867 text of Grein and the editions of Heyne.

These defects were remedied to some extent in the second

edition. Lumsden himself never emends the text.

Extract*.

IV. HUNFERD AND BEOWULF.

Hunferd the son of Ecglaf spoke—at Hrothgar's feet sat he

—

And thus let loose his secret grudge;

(for much did him displease

The coming of Beowulf now—bold sailor o'er the seas.

To none on earth would he allow a greater fame 'mong menBeneath the heavens than his) : 'Art thou the same Beowulf then,

Who swam a match with Breca once upon the waters wide,

When ye vainglorious searched the waves, and risked your lives for

pride

Upon the deep ? Nor hinder you could any friend or foe

From that sad venture. Then ye twain did on the waters row;

Ye stretched your arms upon the flood ; the sea-ways ye did mete ; 10

O'er billows glided—with your hands them tossed—though fiercely

beat

The rolling tides and wintry waves ! Seven nights long toiled ye

In waters' might ; but Breca won—he stronger was than thee

!

And to the Hathorasms at mom washed shoreward by the flood,

Thence his loved native land he sought—the Brondings' country

good.

And stronghold fair, where he was lord of folk and burg and rings.

Right well 'gainst thee his vaunt he kept.


The extract illustrates the paraphrastic nature of parts

of the translation. Lumsden frequently seems to feel it

necessary to read a meaning into the obscure lines and

' See supra, p. 56.'^ See supra, p. 72.

' See American Journal of Philology, ii. p. 355.* From the second edition.


passages that do not easily lend themselves to translation ;

cf. lines ii, 12. At line 2258 Lumsden translates :

—

The mail that bite of sword

O'er clashing shield in fight withstood must follow its dead lord.

Never again shall corselet ring as help the warriors bear

To comrades far.

The Old English from which this passage is taken

reads :

—

ge swylce seo here-pad, slo ast hilde gebad

ofer borda gebrsec bite Irena,

brosnad asfter beorne ; ne maeg byman bring 2260

Eefter wig-fruman wide feran

haeleSum be healfe.

The passage is certainly obscure, and the readings are not

all undoubted, but the words can never be tortured into

meaning what Lumsden tries to make them mean.

But it would be manifestly unfair to judge a translation

addressed to the general reader merely by scholarly tests.

The work must make its appeal as a literary rendering.

The propriety of adopting a ballad measure may be

questioned. Probably no measure could be found more

unlike the Old English lines. Moreover, by reason of its

long association with purely popular poetry, it constantly

suggests the commonplace and the trivial. But above all,

it is reminiscent of a medievalism wholly different from

that of Beowulf.

The saving grace of the ballad measure is its readable-

ness. It is rather effective in passages not too dignified,

calling for action. But in passages of elevation the line is

found wanting :

—

They mourned their king and chanted dirge, and much of him they

said

;

His worthiness they praised, and judged his deeds with tender dread.

But, like Wackerbarth's, Lumsden's translation had the

advantage of being readable.


GARNETT'S TRANSLATION

Beowulf: An Anglo-Saxon Poem, and the Fight at

Finnsburg, translated by James M. Garnett, M.A., LL.D.,

Boston, U.S.A. : published by Ginn, Heath, & Co., 1882.

8°, pp. xl, 107.

Second Edition, Ginn, Heath, & Co., 1885. 8°, pp. xlvi,

no.Third Edition, Ginn & Co., 1893. Reprinted 1899.

8°, pp. liii, 110.

Fourth Edition, 1900.

Sixth English Translation. Imitative Measures.

Differences between the Editions.

In the second edition the translation was collated with

the Grein-Wiilker text, and wherever necessary, with the

Zupitza Autotypes. Additions were made to the biblio-

graphy :—* I have revised certain passages with a view to greater accuracy,

but I have not changed the plan of the work, for that would have

necessitated the re-writing of the whole translation.'—Preface to the

second edition.

The third and fourth editions are simple reprints, with

some additions to the bibliography.


As has been pointed out above in the sections on

Arnold ^ and Lumsden ^, no satisfactory literal translation

of Beowulf existed in English. Furthermore, an American

translation had never appeared. It was with a view to

presenting the latest German interpretations of the poem

1 See supra, p. 71. ''See supra, p. 79.

F %


that Garnett prepared his literal version of the poem. Theoriginal draft of the translation was made at St. John's

College, Md., in the session of 1878-79.—Preface to first

edition.

Texts Used.

The translation is based on Grein's text of 1867. Notes

are added showing the variants from Heyne's text of 1879.

In the second edition notes are added showing the variants

from the Grein-Wiilker text of 1883.

Method of Translation.

The translation is intended for ' the general reader ' and

for the 'aid of students of the poem.'—Preface to second

edition.

The translation is a literal line-for-line version. Of this

feature of his work Professor Garnett says :

—

' This involves naturally much inversion and occasional obscurity,

and lacks smoothness ; but it seemed to me to give the general reader

a better idea of the poem than a mere prose translation would do, in

addition to the advantage of literalness. While it would have been easy,

by means of periphrasis and freer translation, to mend some of the

defects chargeable to the line-for-line form, the translation would have

lacked literalness, which I regarded as the most important object.'

—

Preface to the first edition.

Nature of the Verse-form.

In respect to the rhythmical form, I have endeavored to preserve

two accents to each half-line, with caesura, and while not seeking

alliteration, have employed it purposely wherever it readily presented

itself. I considered that it mattered little whether the feet were iambi

or trochees, anapaests or dactyls, the preservation of the two accents

being the main point, and have freely made use of all the usual licences

in Early English verse. ... To attain this point I have sometimes

found it necessary to place unemphatic words in accented positions,

and words usually accented in unaccented ones, which licence can

also be found in Early English verse. . . . While the reader of modernEnglish verse may sometimes be offended by the ruggedness of the


rhythm, it is hoped that the Anglo-Saxon scholar will make allowances

for the difficulty of reproducing, even approximately, the rhythm of the

original. The reproduction of the sense as closely as possible had to

be kept constantly in view, even to the detriment of the smoothness of

the rhythm.'—Preface to the first edition.

Extract.

III.

Hunferth's taunt. The swimming-match with Breca.

Joy in Heorot.

IX. Hunferth then spoke, the son of Ecglaf,

500 Who at the feet sat of the lord of the Scyldings,

Unloosed his war-secret (was the coming of Beowulf,

The proud sea-farer, to him mickle grief.

For that he granted not that any man else

Ever more honor of this mid-earth

505 Should gain under heavens than he himself)

:

' Art thou that Beowulf who strove with Breca

On the broad sea in swimming-match.

When ye two for pride the billows tried

And for vain boasting in the deep water

510 Risked your lives. You two no man,

Nor friend nor foe, might then dissuade

From sorrowful venture, when ye on the sea swam,

When ye the sea-waves with your arms covered,

Measured the sea-ways, struck with your hands,

515 Glided o'er ocean; with its great billows

Welled up winter's flood. In the power of the waters

Ye seven nights strove : he in swimming thee conquered.

He had greater might. Then him in the morning

On the Heathoremes' land the ocean bore up,

520 Whence he did seek his pleasant home,

Dear to his people, the land of the Brondings

His fair strong city, where he had people,

A city and rings. All his boast against thee

The son of Beanstan truly fulfilled.'


The translation, in its revised form, is throughout a

faithful version of the original text. The fault of Garnett's


translation is the fault of all merely literal translations

—

inadequacy to render fully the content of the original.

The rendering may be word for word, but it will not be

idea for idea. Examples of this inadequacy may be given

from the printed extract. ' Grief in line 502 is a very

insufficient rendering of <zf-punca, a unique word which

suggests at once vexation, mortification, and jealousy.

Had the poet simply meant to express the notion of

grief, he would have used sorh, cearu, or some other

common word. In line 508 'pride' hardly gives full expres-

sion to the idea of wlence, which signifies not only pride,

but vain pride, of empty end. In line 517 'conquered' is

insufficient as a translation of oferflat, which means to

overcome in swimming, to outswim.

Examples of this sort can be brought forward from any

part of the poem. At line 2544 Garnett translates

—

Struggles of battle when warriors contended,

a translation of

—

Gufta . . . Jjonne hnitan feSan

Here ' hnitan fedan ' refers to the swift clash in battle of

two armed hosts, a notion which is ill borne out by the

distributive ' warriors ' and the vagUe ' contended.'

At line 2598 we find

—

they to wood wentfor

hy on holt bugon,

which, whatever be the meaning of ' bugon,' is surely a mis-

leading translation.

The nature of the verse has been sufficiently illustrated

by the quotations from the author's preface. It wouldseem from the way in which the measure is used that it

was a kind of second thought, incident upon the use of

a line-for-line translation. It is hard to read the lines as

Gametics Translation 87

anything but prose, and, if they appeared in any other

form upon the page, it is to be questioned whether anyone would have guessed that they were intended to beimitative.

Reception of Garnett's Translation.

Garnett's volume had a flattering reception. The book

received long and respectful reviews from the Germans.

Professor Child and Henry Sweet expressed their approba-

tion. The book has passed through four editions. This

cordial welcome has been due in large measure to the

increasing attention given the poem in American colleges

and secondary schools. Being strictly literal, the book has

been of value as a means of interpreting the poem.

ORION'S TRANSLATION

Beovulf, poema epico anglosassone del vii secolo, tra-

dotto e illustrate dal Dott. Cav. Giusto Grion, Socio

Ordinario.

In Atti della Reale Accademia Lucchese di Scienze,

Lettere ed Arti. Tomo XXII. Lucca: Tipografia Giusti,

1883. 8°, pp. 197-379-

First Italian Translation. Imitative Measures.

Contents.

Full discussions of (i) Mito; (a) Storia; (3) Letteratura.

The latter is a fairly complete bibliography of what had

been done on Beowulf vi^ to this time.


Author's Preliminary Remarks.

' II poema consiste di 3183 vers! fra cui alcuni in frammenti che noi

abbiamo cercato di completare senza alterare lettera del teste. Unamano recente lo ha diviso in 43 canti, detti in ags. fitte ; ne notiamo

il numero anche nella versione. I versi che il MiillenhofFreputainter-

polati, sono disposti in linee rientranti;quelli attributi ad A portano

di pi6 questa lettera nella versione nostra interlineare, che segue la

parola del testo in maniera da mantenervi anche la sintassi, e si che

nessuna parola d'un verso prenda posto in un' altra riga. Le parentesi

quadre [ ] segnano nel testo riempiture di lacune. Nella versione

sono queste segnate per lettere corsive.'—Prefazione, p. 251.

Texts Used.

The translator makes use of all the texts and commen-taries that had appeared up to his time, and even goes so

far as to emend the text for himself (cf. lines 6$, 66^, 1 107,

2561. 3150)-

The Notes are rather full. They are sometimes merely

explanatory ; sometimes there are discussions of the MS.readings, of proposed emendations, of history, myth, &c.


The translation is literal ; the medium an imitative

measure of four principal stresses, varied occasionally bythe expanded line. The diction is simple.

Extract.

VIII.

Hunferd disse, il nato di Eclaf,

500 che a' piedi sedea del prence de' Schildinghi,

sbriglib accenti di contesta— eragli la gita di Be6vulf,

del coraggioso navigatore, molto a fastidio,

perchfe non amava, che un altro uomovieppii di gloria nell' orbe di mezzo

505 avesse sotto il cielo che lui stesso—

:

' Sei tu quel Be6vulf, che con Breca nuot6

Grion's Translation 89

nel vasto pelago per gara marina,

quando voi per baldanza I'acque provaste,

e per pazzo vanto nel profondo sale

510 la vita arrischiaste ? nh voi uomo alcuno,

nh caro n& discaro, distorre pot^

dalla penosa andata, quando remigaste nell' alto,

la corrente dell' oceano colle braccia coprendo

misuraste le strade del mare, colle mani batteste,

515 e scivolaste sopra I'astato. Nelle onde del ghebbovagavano i cavalloni d'inverno : voi nel tenere delP acquasette notti appenkstevi. Egli nel nuoto ti supero,

ebbe piii forza. E al tempo mattutino lo

port6 suso il flutto verso la marittima Raraia

520 donde ei cerc6 la dolce patria,

cara a sue genti, la terra dei Brondinghi,

il vago castel tranquillo, ov' egli popolo avea,

rocche e gioie. II vanto intero contro te

il figlio di Beanstan in veritk mantenne.'


The present writer cannot attempt a literary criticism of

the translation.

In purpose and method this version may be comparedwith that of Kemble ^ and of Schaldemose ^. In each case

the translator was introducing the poem to a foreign public,

and it was therefore well that the translation should be

literal in prder that it might assist in the interpretation of

the original. There has been no further work done on the

poem in Italy ^

While the verse is not strictly imitative in the sense that

it preserves exactly the Old English system of versification,

it aims to maintain the general movement of the original

lines. The four stresses are kept, save where a fifth is used

to avoid monotony. These 'expanded lines' are muchcommoner in the Italian than in the Old English.

^ See supra, p. 33. ^ See supra, p. 41.•'' Ofa work by G. Schuhmann, mentioned byWiilker in his Grundriss,

§ 209, I can ascertain nothing.


WICKBERG'S TRANSLATION

Beowulf, en fomengelsk hjeltedikt, ofversatt af Rudolf

Wickberg. Westervik, C. O. Ekblad & Comp., 1889. 4°,

pp. 48, double columns.

First Swedish Translation. Imitative Measures.

Aim of the Volume.

The translator begins his introduction with a discussion

of the importance of Beowulf as a historical document. For

this reason he is especially interested in the episodes :

—

' This important historical interest may then explain the reason for

translating the poem into Swedish, and also serve as an excuse for

the fact that in the translation the poetic form has not been considered

of first importance.'— Inledning, p. 3.


' In the translation I have endeavored to make the language

readable and modem. A translation out of an ancient tongue ought

never to strive after archaic flavor in point of words and expressions.

Since the poet wrote in the language of his day, the translation ought

also to use contemporary language. ... I have tried to follow the

original faithfully, but not slavishly. For the sake of clearness the

half-lines have often been transposed . . . The rhythm is still moreirregular than the Old English. Alliteration has generally been

avoided.'—Inledning, p. 6.

Texts Used.

The author constructs his own text. He explains (p. 6)

that he has in general taken the MS. as the basis of his

text. He has emended by making those changes which

'seemed most necessary or most probable.' In places

where this departure from the MS. has been made, he

italicizes the words of his translation.

Wickberg's Translation 91

Extract.

8.

Ecglafs son Hunferd: talade;

Vid Scyldingafurstens fotter satt han,

Loste stridsrunan—den modige sjofaranden

Beovulfs resa fortrot honom mycket,

Forty han unnade ej, att nigon annan manUnder himlen skulle nagonsin vinna

Storre ara pa jorden an han sjelf— :

' Ar du den Beovulf, som matte sig med Breca

I kappsimning ofver det vida hafvet,

Der I ofvermodigt profvaden vagorna

Och for djerft skryt vagaden lifvet

I det djupa vattnet ? Ej kunde nagon man,Ljuf eller led, forma eder att afst&

FrSn den sorgfuUa farden. Sedan summen I i hafvet,

Der I med armama famnaden hafsstrommen,

Matten hafsvagoma, svangden handerna,

Gleden ofver hafsytan; vintersvallet

Sjod i vagorna. I strafvaden sju natter

I hafvets vald ; han bfvervann dig i simning,

Hade storre styrka. Sedan vid morgontiden

Bar hafvet upp honom till de krigiska ramerna.

Derifran uppsokte han, dyr for de sina,

Sitt kara odal i brondingames land.

Den fagra fridsborgen, der han hade folk,

Berg och ringar. Hela sitt vad med dig

FuUgjorde noga Beanstans son.'

EARLE'S TRANSLATION

The Deeds of Beowulf, an English Epic of the Eighth

Century, done into Modern Prose, with an Introduction and

Notes by John Earle, M.A., rector of Swanswick, Rawlin-

sonian Professor of Anglo-Saxon in the University ofOxford.

At the Clarendon Press, 1 89a (February). 8°, pp. c, 303.

Seventh English Translation. Prose.



Sixteen years had elapsed since the publication of a

scholarly translation in England—for Lumsden's^ can

hardly be said to count as such. In the meantime Heyne's

text 2 had passed into a fifth edition (1888); Wulker's

revision of Grein's Bibliothek had appeared with a new

text of Beowulf (1881); Zupitza's Autotypes of the MS.

had appeared 1883, making it possible to ascertain exactly

what was in the original text of the poem ; the studies of

Sievers^ Cosijn*, Kluge^, and Bugge^ had been pub-

lished, containing masterly discussions of text revision.

Some of these materials had been used by Garnett in his

translation, but the majority of them were of later date.


Nothing is said in the introduction respecting the aim of

the translation ; but it is evident from the Notes that the

purpose was twofold—to present the latest interpretation

of the text, and to afford a literary version of the poem.

Texts Used.

' This translation was originally made from the Fourth Edition of

Moritz Heyne's text. His Fifth Edition came out in 1888, and I think

I have used it enough to become acquainted with all the changes that

Dr. Adolf Socin, the new editor, has introduced. Where they have

appeared to me to be improvements, I have modified my translation

accordingly.'—Preface.

But the translator does not depend slavishly upon his

text. He frequently uses emendations suggested by the

scholars mentioned above, especially those of Professor

^ See supra, p. 79. ^ See supra, p. 64.' Paul und Braune's Beitrdge, XI, 328 ; Ang. XIV, 133.* Beitrdge, VIII, 568; Aanteekeningen, Leiden 1891.= Beitrdge, IX, 187 ; VIII, 532.' Beitrdge, XI, I ; Studien Uber das Beowulfsepos.


Sophus Bugge in Studien uber das Beowulfsepos"^ \ see

lines 457, 871, 900, 936, 1875, 3375.

The Introduction presents a new theory of the origin of

the poem. The notes are especially interesting because

of the large body of quotations cited for literary com-parison and for the light they throw on Old Germanicand medieval customs.

Extract.

VIII.

Unferih the king's orator is jealous. He baits theyoung adventurer,

and in a scoffing speech dares him to a night-watch for Grendel.

Beowulf is angered, and thus he is drawn out to boast of hisyouthful

feats.

Unferth made a speech, Ecglaf's son ; he who sate at the feet of the

Scyldings' lord, broached a quarrelsome theme—the adventure of

Beowulf the high-souled voyager was great despite to him, because he

grudged that any other man should ever in the world achieve moreexploits under heaven than he himself:— ' Art thou that Beowulf, he

who strove with Breca on open sea in swimming-match, where ye

twain out of bravado explored the floods, and foolhardily in deep

water jeoparded your lives ? nor could any man, friend or foe, turn the

pair of you from the dismal adventure ! What time ye twain plied in

swimming, where ye twain covered with your arms the awful stream,

meted the sea-streets, buffeted with hands, shot over ocean ; the deep

boiled with waves, a wintry surge. Ye twain in the realm of waters

toiled a se'nnight ; he at swimming outvied thee, had greater force.

Then in morning hour the swell cast him ashore on the Heathoram

people, whence he made for his own patrimony, dear to his Leeds he

made for the land of the Brondings, a fair stronghold, where he was

lord of folk, of city, and of rings. All his boast to thee-ward, Beanstan's

son soothly fulfilled. Wherefore I anticipate for thee worse luck—

though thou wert everywhere doughty in battle-shocks, in grim war-

tug—if thou darest bide in Grendel's way a night-long space.'


As a whole, the translation may fairly be called faithful.

The emendations from which Professor Earle sometimes

^ Beitrdge, XI, I ff.


renders are always carefully chosen, and the discussions of

obscure lines in the poem are of real scholarly interest.

But this is not always true of the simpler passages of the

poem. These are often strained to make them square with

the translator's personal notions. Thus, at line 1723,

Earle reads for

Ic Jits gid be pe awraec

It is about thee . . . that I have told this tale,

adding in a note, '(In this passage) the living poet steps

forward out of his Hrothgar, and turns his eyes to the

prince for whom he made it up ' (p. 168). Now this is

nothing more than an attempt on the part of the translator

to wring from the Old English lines some scrap of proof

for the peculiar theory that he holds of the origin of the

poem.

Similarly, he often reads into a single word more than it

can possibly bear. At line 371 he translates

—

Hrothgar, helm Scyldinga,

Hrothgar, crown of Scyldings.

But ' crown ' is an impossible rendering of ' helm,' which

is here used figuratively to denote the idea of protection ^,

rather than the idea of the crowning glory of kingship.

Further, in the same passage, 375-6, heard eafora (bold

son), is wrenched into meaning 'grown-up son.' These

are but two examples of what is common throughout the

translation.

Diction.

The archaic style used by Professor Earle cannot be

regarded as highly felicitous, since it mixes the diction

of various ages. Here are Old English archaisms like

* See the glossaries of Grain and Wyatt.


' Leeds' and ' burnie' ; here are expressions like ' escheat,'

* page ' (attendant), ' emprize,' ' bombard ' (drinking-vessel),

' chivalry.' Here are such specialized words as ' harpoon,'

'belligerent,' 'pocket-money,' and combinations like 'bat-

tailous grip'; while throughout the entire translation are

scattered modem colloquialisms like 'boss ' (master), 'tussle,'

' war-tug.'

The reason for these anomalies is evident—the trans-

lator wishes to imitate the remoteness of the original

style. The style is certainly remote—at times almost as

remote from the language of to-day as is the style of

Beowulf itself.

J. L. HALL'S TRANSLATION

Beowulf, an Anglo-Saxon Epic Poem, translated by JohnLesslie Hall. Boston : D. C. Heath and Co., 1892 (May 7).

Reprinted 1900. 8°, pp. xviii, no.

Eighth English Translation. Imitative Measures.


Presented to the Philosophical Faculty of Johns Hop-kins University in candidacy for the degree of Doctor of

Philosophy by John Lesslie Hall, late Professor in the

college of William and Mary.


' The work is addressed to two classes of readers. . . . The Anglo-

Saxon scholar he [the translator] hopes to please by adhering faith-

fully to the original. The student of English literature he aims to

interest by giving him, in modern garb, the most ancient epic of our

race.'—Preface, vii.



The translation is in imitative measures and in archaic

style.

' The effort has been made to give a decided flavor of archaism to

the translation. All words not in keeping with the spirit of the poemhave been avoided. Again, though many archaic words have been

used, there are none, it is believed, which are not found in standard

modern poetry. . . .

'The measure used in the present translation is believed to be as

near a reproduction of the original as modern English affords. . . .

The four stresses of the Anglo-Saxon verse are retained, and as muchthesis and anacrusis is allowed as is consistent with a regular cadence.

Alliteration has been used to a large extent ; but it was thought that

modem ears would hardly tolerate it in every line. End-rhyme has

been used occasionally ; internal rhyme, sporadically. . . .

' What Gummere calls the " rime-giver " has been studiously kept

;

viz., the first accented syllable in the second half-verse always carries

the alliteration ; and the last accented syllable alliterates only

sporadically. . .

.

'No two accented syllables have been brought together, except

occasionally after a cassural pause. . . . Or, scientifically speaking,

Sievers's C type has been avoided as not consonant with the plan of

translation.'—Preface, viii, ix.

Text.

'The Heyne-Socin text and glossary have been closely followed.

Occasionally a deviation has been made. . . . Once in a while . . . (the

translator) has added a conjecture of his own to the emendationsquoted from the criticisms of other students of the poem.'—Preface, vii.

The footnotes which contain the conjectural readings are

interesting, and in one or two cases valuable additions to

the suggested emendations (cf. p. 15 ; p. 103, note 3).

/. L. Hall's Translation 97

EXTEACT.

IX.

Unferth taunts Beowulf.

Unferth spoke up, Ecglaf his son,

Who sat at the feet of the lord of the Scyldings,

Opened thejousting (the journey of Beowulf,

Sea-farer doughty, gave sorrow to Unferth

5 And greatest chagrin, too, for granted he never

That any man else on earth should attain to,

Gain under heaven, more glory than he)

:

'Art thou that Beowulf with Breca did struggle,

On the wide sea-currents at swimming contended,

lo Where to humor your pride the ocean ye tried,

From vainest vaunting adventured your bodies

In care of the waters ? And no one was able

Nor lief nor loth one, in the least to dissuade you

Your difficult voyage ; then ye ventured a-swimming,

15 Where your arms outstretching the streams ye did

cover.

The mere-ways measured, mixing and stirring them,

Glided the ocean; angry the waves were.

With the weltering of winter. In the water's posses-

sion.

Ye toiled for a seven-night; he at swimming outdid

thee,

20 In strength excelled thee. Then early at morning

On the Heathoremes' shore the holm-currents tossed

him.

Sought he thenceward the home of his fathers.

Beloved of his liegemen, the land of the Brondings,

The peace-castle pleasant, where a people he wielded

25 Had borough and jewels. The pledge that he made

thee

The son of Beanstan hath soothly accomplished.

Then I ween thou wilt find thee less fortunate issue,

Though ever triumphant in onset of battle,

A grim grappling, if Grendel thou darest

30 For the space of a night near-by to wait for!'

G

Unferth,

a thane ofHrothgar,is jealous

ofBeowulf,and under-

takes to

twit him.

Did youtake part

in a swim-ming-matchwith Breca?

'Twasmerefolly that

actuated

yon both to

risk yourlives on the

Breca out-

did youentirely.

Much morewill Gren-del outdoyon, if youvie withhim in

prowess.



The translation is faithful, but not literal. The chief

difference, for example, between this and the translation by

Garnett is that Hall makes an attempt to preserve the

poetic value of the Old English words. He is never satis-

fied with the dictionary equivalent of an Old English

expression. Thus, in the extract given above, 'from

vainest vaunting' is given as a translation of dol-gilpe—a great improvement over Garnett's rendering, ' for pride.'

Similarly, ' mixing and stirring ' is given as a translation

of mundum brugdon. This method often leads the trans-

lator some distance, perhaps too great a distance, from the

Old English. The following may serve as examples of

the heightened color that Hall gives to the Old English

forms :

—

548, 'the north-wind whistled, fierce in our faces,' for

norfan wind keado-grim ondhwearf.

557, ' my obedient blade,' for hilde-bille.

568, 'foam-dashing currents,' for brontne ford.

587, ' with cold-hearted cruelty thou killedst thy bro-

thers,' for du plnum brodrum to banan wurde.

606, ' the sun in its ether robes/ for sunne swegl-wered.

838, ' in the mist of the morning,' for on morgen.

131 1, 'As day was dawning in the dusk of the morning,'

for xr-dxge.

Perhaps these paraphrastic renderings are what Dr. Hall

is referring to when he says in his preface, regarding the

nature of the translation, ' Occasionally some loss has been

sustained; but, on the other hand, a gain has here and

there been made.'

As for the archaism, that is well enough for those wholike it. It is never so strange as that of Earle, or the

marvelous diction of William Morris. But it is not, there-

J. L. Hall's Translation 99

fore, dignified or clear. How much dignity and clarity atranslator has a right to introduce into his rendering is

a matter of opinion. Mr. Hall was quite conscious of whathe was doing, and doubtless regarded his diction as well

suited to convey the original Beowulf spirit.

The chief criticism of the verse is that it is often not

verse at all. Many passages are indistinguishable from

prose. This is a stricture that cannot be passed on the

Old English, nor on the best modern imitations of it.

The atheling of Geatmen uttered these words and

Heroic did hasten.—Page 51, Hne 19.

In war 'neath the water the work with great pains I

Performed.—Page 57, line 6.

Gave me willingly to see on the wall a

Heavy old hand-sword.—Page 57, line 11.

The man was so dear that he failed to suppress the

Emotions that moved him.—Page 64, line 59.

There might be an excuse for some of this freedom in

blank verse, but in measures imitative of the Old English it

is utterly out of place. There is always a pause at the end of

a line in Old English ; run-on lines are uncommon. There

is not an example in Beowulf of an ending so light as

' the ' or ' a ' in the verses quoted above.

HOFFMANN'S TRANSLATION

Bedwulf. Aeltestes deutsches Heldengedicht. Aus dem

Angelsachsischen ubertragen von P. Hoffmann. Ziillichau.

Verlag von Herm. Liebich (1893 ?j. 8°, pp. iii, 183.

*Zweite Ausgabe, Hannover, Schaper, 1900.

Sixth German Translation. Nibelungen Measures.

G 1,

loo The Translations of Beowulf

The Translator.

In Minerva (190a), P. Hoffmann is recorded as ' Ord. Pro-

fessor ' of Philosophy and Pedagogy at Gent.

Aim of the Volume.

The translator desired to present a rendering of the

poem that should attract the general reader. He regarded

Simrock's version as too literal and archaic ^, the version

of von Wolzogen as not sufficiently clear and beautiful'^,

and the version of Heyne as not sufficiently varied in

form ^ (Vorwort, i). He regards the Beowulf as of great

importance in inspiring patriotism—he always calls the

poem German—and even offers a comparison of Beowulf

with Emperor William I. With the scholarship of his

subject the author hardly seems concerned.

Text, and Relation of Parts.

The translation is founded on Grein's text of 1867 *,

In addition to the translation, the volume contains

articles on the history of the text, origin, the Germanic

hero-tales, the episodes, the esthetic value of the poem.

These are decidedly subordinate in interest to the trans-

lation.


The translation is in,the so-called Nibelungen measures.

Archaisms and unnatural compounds are avoided.

The Finnsburg fragment is inserted in the text at line

1068, p. 44 of the volume. The episode is furnished with

a beginning and ending original with Hoffmann.

' See supra, p. 59. ^ See supra, p. 68.' See supra, p. 63. * See supra, p. 56.

Hoffmann's Translation loi

Extract.

ViERTES ABENTEUER.

VON BEOWULF'S SCHWIMMFAHRT.

Da hub der Sohn der Ecglaf, Hunferd, zu reden an;

Er sass dem Herm der Schildinge zu Fiissen, und begann

Kampfworte zu entbieten. Dass her Beowulf kam,

Der kiihne Meerdurchsegler, schuf seinem Herzen bitter'n Gram.

Dass unter dem Himmel habe ein andrer Recke mehr, 5

Denn er, des Ruhms auf Erden, war ihm zu tragen schwer

:

'Bist der Be6wulf Du, der einst sich in der weiten Flut

Mit Breca mass im Schwimmen ? Zu hoch vermass sich da Dein Mut

!

'Ihr spranget in die Wellen, vermessen wagtet ihr

Das Leben in die Tiefe, aus Ruhm- und Ehrbegier! 10

Die Fahrt, die schreckensvoUe, nicht Freund noch Feind verleiden

Euch konnte. Also triebet im Sund dahin ihr Beiden

!

'Als ihr mit Euren Armen des Meeres Breite decktet,

Die Meeresstrassen masset, die Hande rudemd recktet

Durch Brandungswirbel gleitend, vom Wintersturm getrieben 15

Hoch auf die Wellen schaumten ; ihr miihtet Euch der Nachte sieben !

' So rangt ihr mit den Wogen ! Da wurde Dir entrafft

Der Sieg von ihm, im Schwimmen, sein war die gross're Kraft,

Ihn trug der Hochflut Wallen am Morgen an den Strand

Der Haduramen, bald er von da die siisse Heimat wiederfand. 20

' Im Lande der Brondinge wie gerne man ihn sah

!

Zu seiner schonen Feste kam er wieder da,

Wo er zu eigen hatte Mannen, Burg und Ringe,

Der Sohn Beanstan's hatte geleistet sein Erbot Dir allerdinge!'


Hoffmann's translation is certainly not a contribution to

scholarship. It is a sufficient condemnation of the volume

to quote the words of the Vorwort :

—

' Die Uebersetzungen von Grein, Holder und MoUer sind mir nicht

zuganglich gewesen, auch wie es scheint, nicht sehr bekannt.'

It is not surprising that Hoffmann is unacquainted with the

translations of Holder and Moller, as these works have


never been made ; but that a German translator should

ignore the version of Grain is a revelation indeed.

Even though a translator may not care to embody in

his work any new interpretations, it is nevertheless his

duty to base his translation on the best text that he can

find. But apparently Hoffmann had never heard of the

Heyne editions of the text, nor bf the Grein-Wiilker

Bibliothek. He bases his translation on Grein's text of

1867. He evidently considered it a sufficient recommenda-

tion of his work to associate with it the name of Grein, not

troubling himself to discover what advance had been made

upon the work of that scholar.

Examples of antiquated renderings may be brought

forward :

—

P. I, line I, Wie grosse Ruhmesthaten.

2, line I, So soil mit Gaben werben im Vaterhause

schon.

ai, line 15 (see Extract), Vom Wintersturm getrieben

Hoch auf die Wellen schaumten.

84, line 3, Mothrytho.

Petty inaccuracies due to the nature of the translation

also appear. An example of this is seen on page 3, at the

opening of the first canto

—

Ueber Burg und Mannen nun herrschte manches Jahr

Bedwulf der Schilding. Wie hold dem Konig warSein Volk ! in alien Landen seinen Ruhm man pries

Als lange schon sein Vater von dieser Erde Leben liess.

Literary Criticism.

The translation resembles the work of Lumsden^ andWackerbarth^ in affording a version of the tale easily

readable. And the same criticism may be passed on the

work of Hoffmann that was passed on the two Englishmen.

' See p. 79. 2 gge p. 45.

Hoffmann's Translation 103

The style and medium chosen are not well fitted to render

the spirit of the poem. The Nibelungenlied is a poem of

the late twelfth century. The Beowulf at latest belongs

to the eighth. To choose for the translation oi Beowulf,

therefore, a medium surcharged with reminiscence of a time,

place, and style quite different from those of the original

is certainly an error. It may find an audience where

another and more faithful rendering would fail ; but it will

never win the esteem of scholars. In his introduction

Hoffmann calls attention to the lack of variety in blank

verse, but surely it does not have the monotony inherent

in a recurring rime and strophe.

Again, rime and strophe force upon the author the use

of words and phrases needed to pad out the verse or

stanza. Attention must also be called to the fact that the

original seldoni affords a natural pause at the exact point

demanded by the use of a strophic form. See the close of

the following stanzas in the Extract: I, III, IV, V. Oneeffect of the forced pause is that there is confusion in the

use of kennings, which often have to do duty as subject in

one stanza and as object in another stanza.

Commonplace expressions, incident perhaps upon the

use of the measure, are not unfrequent. Thus

Gesagt ! gethan

!

translatesond J>aet gesefndon swa (line 538).

Traces of this are also found in the extract ; see beginning

of last stanza.

In conclusion, it may be said that Hoffmann's version

marks an advance in one way only, readableness ; and

in this it is hardly superior to Heyne's rendering, which

has the advantage of scholarship.


MORRIS AND WYATT'S TRANSLATION

Colophon : Here endeth the story of Beowulf done out

of the old English tongue by William Morris and A. J.

Wyatt, and printed by said William Morris at the Kelmscott

Press, Uppermall, Hammersmith, in the county of Middle-

sex, and finished on the tenth day of January, 1895.

Large 4°, pp. vi, 119.

Troy type. Edition limited to 300 copies on paper and

eight on vellum.

Second edition. The Tale of Beowulf, Sometime King of

the Folk of the Weder Geats, translated by William Morris

and A. J. Wyatt. London and New York: Longmans,

Green, & Co., 1895. 8°, pp. x, 191.

Ninth English Translation. Imitative Measures.

Differences between the First and Second Editions.

In the second edition a title-page is added. The running

commentary, printed in rubric on the margin of the first

edition, is omitted.

Text Used.

The translation is, in general, conformed to Wyatt's

text of 1894, departing from it in only a few unimportant

details.

Part Taken in the Work by Morris and Wyattrespectively.

The matter is fortunately made perfectly clear in Mac-kail's Life of William Morris, vol. ii. p. 284 :

—

'(Morris) was not an Anglo-Saxon scholar, and to help him in

following the original, he used the aid of a prose translation madefor him by Mr. A. J. Wyatt, of Christ's College, Cambridge, with

whom he had also read through the original. The plan of their joint


labours had been settled in the autumn of 1892. Mr. Wyatt beganto supply Morris with his prose paraphrase in February, 1893, andhe at once began to "rhyme up," as he said, "very eager to be at

it, finding it the most delightful work." He was working at it all

through the year, and used to read it to Burne-Jones regularly onSunday mornings in summer.'

The plan of joining with his own the name of his principal

teacher was one which Morris had used before when trans-

lating from a foreign tongue. He published his rendering

of the Volsunga Saga as the work of ' Eirikr Magndsson

and William Morris.' There is no evidence that Mr. Wyatthad any hand in forming the final draft of the translation.

In defending it, Morris took all the responsibility for the

book upon himself, and he always spoke of it as his ownwork. In writing to a German student toward the end of

his life Morris spoke of the translation as his own without

mentioning Mr. Wyatt •^. Nor has Mr. Wyatt shown a

disposition to claim a share in the work. In the preface

to his edition of the text of 5^ow«^ (Cambridge, 1894), he

says:

—

' Mr. William Morris has taken the text of this edition as the basis

of his modern metrical rendering of the lay.'—Page xiii.

Finally, it may be added that the specimens of Mr.

Wyatt's translation printed in the glossary and notes of

his book bear no resemblance to the work of Morris.

Morris s Theory of Translation.

None despised the merely literal rendering of an epic

poem more than William Morris. In writing of his version

of the Odyssey to Ellis, Morris said: 'My translation is

a real one so far, not a mere periphrase of the original as

all the others are.' In translating an ancient poem, he

tried to reproduce the simplicity and remoteness of phrase

which he found in his original. He believed it possible,

^ See Mackail's Life, i. 198.

io6 The Translations of Beowulf

e. g., to suggest the archaic flavor of Homer by adopting

a diction that bore the same relation to modern English

that the language of Homer bore to that of the age of

Pericles. The archaism of the English would represent

the archaism of the Greek. This method he used in

rendering Vergil and Homer.

But when he approached the translation of Beowulf, he

was confronted by a new problem. It was evident that

fifteenth-century English was ill-adapted to convey any

just notion of eighth-century English. Beowulf required

a diction older than that of Sir Thomas Malory or Chaucer.

Hence it became necessary to discard the theory altogether,

or else to produce another style which should in some true

sense be imitative of Beowulf. This latter Morris tried to

accomplish by increasing the archaism of his style by every

means in his power. This feature is discussed in the follow-

ing section.


The translation of Beowulf is written in extremely

archaic language. An imitative measure of four principal

stresses is used. Wherever possible, the Old English

syntax has been preserved (see line 1242) ; the word-

order of the original is retained. The archaic language is

wrought of several different kinds of words. In the first

place, there is the ' legitimate archaism,' such as ' mickle,'

' burg,' ' bairn'

; there are forms which are more closely

associated with the translation of Old English, such as

* middle-garth,' ' ring-stem.' There are modern words used

with the old signification, such as ' kindly ' (in the sense ' of

the same kind '),' won war ' (in the sense ' wage war

'),

' fret' (in the sense 'eat'). Finally, there are forms which

are literally translated from Old English :' the sight seen

once only' from ansyn, face, 251 ; 'spearman ' ixom garsecg,

ocean (see extract), ' gift-scat' from gif-sceatt, gift of money,


378 ;' the Maker's own making' from metod-sceaft, doom,

1180. Romance words are excluded whenever possible.

A glossary of 'some words not commonly used now' is

included in the book, but none of the words cited above,

save ' burg,' is found in it.

Extract,

IX. Unferth contendeth in words with Beowulf.

Spake out then Unferth that bairn was of Ecglaf,

And he sat at the feet of the lord of the Scyldings, 500

He unbound the battle-rune ; was Beowulf's faring,

Of him the proud mere-farer, mickle unliking,

Whereas he begrudg'd it of any man other

That he glories more mighty the middle-garth over

Should hold under heaven than he himself held

:

Art thou that Beowulf who won strife with Breca

On the wide sea contending in swimming,

When ye two for pride's sake search'd out the floods

And for a dolt's cry into deep water,

Thrust both your life-days? No man the twain of you, 510

Lief or loth were he, might lay wyte to stay you

Your sorrowful journey, when on the sea row'd ye;

Then when the ocean-stream ye with your arms deck'd.

Meted the mere-streets, there your hands brandish'd

!

O'er the Spearman ye glided ; the sea with waves welter'd.

The surge of the winter. Ye twain in the waves' might

For a seven nights swink'd. He outdid thee in swimming,

And the more was his might; but him in the morn-tide

To the Heatho-Remes' land the holm bore ashore.

And thence away sought he to his dear land and lovely, 520

The lief to his people sought the land of the Brondings,

The fair burg peace-warding, where he the folk owned,

The burg and the gold rings. What to theeward he boasted,

Beanstan's son, for thee soothly he brought it about.


The Morris-Wyatt translation is thoroughly accurate,

and is, so to speak, an official commentary on the text

io8 The Translations of Beowulf

of Wyatt's edition. It is therefore of importance to the

student of the Beowulf.

As a literary rendering the translation is disappointing.

In the first place, it must be frankly avowed that the diction

is frequently so strange that it seems to modern readers

well-nigh ridiculous. There are certain sentences which

cannot but evoke a smile. Such are :' (he) spoke a word

backward,' line 315; 'them that in Scaney dealt out the

scat,' line 1686.

Secondly, the translation is unreadable. There is an

avalanche of archaisms. One example of the extreme

obscurity may be given :

—

'Then rathe was beroom'd, as the rich one was bidding,

For the guests a-foot going the floor all withinward.'

1. 1975-76.

It would seem that the burden of ' rathe,' ' beroomed,' and' withinward,' were sufficient for any sentence to carry, but

we are left to discover for ourselves that 'rich one' does

not mean rich one, but ruler, that the ' floor ' is not a floor

but a hall, and that the guests are not guests, but the

ruler's own men.

Morris himself was conscious of the obscurity of the

work :

—

'For the language of his version Morris once felt it necessary

to make an apology. Except a few words, he said, the words used

in it were such as he would not hesitate to use in an original poemof his own. He did not add, however, that their effect, if slipped

sparingly in amid his own pellucid construction and facile narrative

method, would be very different from their habitual use in a transla-

tion ... As the work advanced, he seems to have felt this himself,

and his pleasure in the doing of it fell off.'—Mackail's Life, ii. 284-5.

Finally, the version does not translate. Words like

' Spearman ' for Ocean, and combinations like ' the sight

seen once only ' for the face, can be understood only bythe intimate student of Old English poetry, and there is

no reason why such a person should not peruse Beowulf in


the original tongue rather than in a translation occasionally

as obscure as the poem itself.

If one can peer through the darkness of Morris's diction,

he will discover a fairly pleasing use of the so-called

imitative measure. The verse is not nearly so rough as

the original ; many of the characteristic substitutions are

avoided. There is evident a tendency toward the ' rising

verse' and the anapestic foot. The feminine ending is

frequently used. The verse is, therefore, not strictly

imitative in that it retains the Old English system of

versification, but rather in that it attempts to suggest the

Old English movement by the use of four principal stresses

and a varying number of unstressed syllables. Morris's

verse is the best of all the ' imitative ' measures.

SIMONS'S TRANSLATION

Be6wulf, Angelsaksisch Volksepos, vertaald in Stafrij'm,

en met Inleiding en Aanteekeningen voorzien door Dr. L.

Simons, Briefwisselend Lid der Koninklijke Vlaamsche

Academie voor Taal- en Letterkunde, Leeraar aan 't konink-

lijk Athenaeum te Brussel. Gent, A. Sififer, 1896. Large

8°, pp. 355-

Published for the Koninklijke Vlaamsche Academie voor

Taal- en Letterkunde.

First Dutch Translation. Iambic Pentameter.

Aim and Contents of the Volume.

The author's purpose, as stated in ' Een Woord Vooraf,'

is to make the Beowulf better known to the Dutch public.

With this in view he adds to his translation copious notes

and an exhaustive comment. The titles of his various

chapters are : De Beschaving in den Beowulf, Christendom,

no The Translations of Beowulf

Heldensage en Volksepos, Geschiedenis, Mythos, Geatas,

Nationaliteit van den Beowulf, Tijd van Voltooiing, Het

Handschrift, De Versbouw, Epische Stijl, Innerlijke Ge-

schiednis. Explanatory and critical comment is given in

the footnotes, and textual criticism in the Notes at the

end of the volume.

Text Used.

' I have followed the text of Socin'

; where I have preferred to

give another reading I have justified my proceeding in the Notes

at the end of the work.'—Een Woord Vooraf.


It is a literal translation in iambic pentameter.

' Of the translation nothing in particular needs to be said. I have

followed my original as closely as possible.'—Een Woord Vooraf

He adds that this was no easy task, as Dutch does not

afford the same variety of simile as the Old English.

A page is then given to the discussion of the nature of

his verse. He first gives his reasons for preferring iambic

pentameter to the ' Reinartsyers,' which some might think

best to use.

' Moreover, the iambic pentameter lends itself well to division into

hemistichs, the principal characteristic of the ancient epic Versifica-

tion.'—Een Woord Vooraf.

He has often preferred the simple alliteration (aa, bb) to

the Old English system ^.

Extract.

IX.

En Hunferd zeide toen, de zoon van Ecglaf,

Die aan die voeten zat des Schyldingvorsten,

Het kampgeheim ontkeetnend : (Beowulfs aankomst,

^ Fifth edition of Heyne's text, 1888.'' At this point Simons speaks as if ab, ab, were the common form

of alliteration in Old English, whereas it is rather uncommon.

Simons's Translation iit

Des koenen golfvaart gaf hem grooten aanstoot,

Omdat hij geenszins aan een ander gundeDer mannen, meerder roem op aard te rapen,

Bene^n de wolken, dan hem was geworden.)

'Zijt gij die Beowulf, die met Brecca aanbondDen wedstrijd op de wijde zee, in 't zwemmenMet dezen streven dorst, toen boud gij beiden

Navorschtet in den vloed en gij uit grootspraak

Uw leven waagdet in het diepe water?

Geen stervling was in staat, noch vriend noch vijand,

De roekelooze reis u af te raden.

Toen braakt gij beiden roeiend door de baren

En dektet onder uwen arm de deining,

Gij maat de zeebahn, zwaaiend met de handen,

Doorgleedt de waterwieling, schoon met golven

De kil opklotste bij des winters branding.

Op deze wijze wurmdet gij te gader

Wei zeven nachten in 't bezit der zeeen.

Doch gene ging in vaart u ver te boven ;

Hij had toch meerder macht. De strooming stuwde

Hem met den morgen been ten Headoraemen,Van waar hij wedervond, de volksgevierde,

Het lieve stambezit, het land der Brondings,

De schoone schatburg, waar hij wapenlieden

En goed en goud bezat. De zoon van Beanstan

Hield tegen u geheel zijn woord in waarheid.'


The translation seems to aim chiefly at accuracy, which

accounts for the rather large number of notes, containing

readings suggested by various commentators. The trans-

lator uses freely compounds and metaphors similar to those

in the original text. This seems occasionally to militate

against the clearness of the work. Thus, it is doubtful

whether ' kampgeheim ontkeetnend ' of the extract conveys

to the modern Dutch reader any notion similar to that of

the Old English beadu-runen onband.

The present writer is unable to offer any literary criticism

of the translation.


STEINECK'S TRANSLATION

Altenglische Dichtungen (Beowulf, Elene, u. a.) in

wortgetreuer Uebersetzung von H. Steineck. Leipzig,

1898, O. R. Reisland. 8°, Beowulf, pp. i-ioa.

Seventh German Translation. Line for line.

Aim of the Volume, and Nature of the Translation.

' Die vorliegende Uebersetzung ist aus dem Bediirfnis einer wort-

getreuen Wiedergabe altenglischer Denkmaler entstanden. Soweit

es der Sinn zuliess, ist das Bestreben dahin gegangen, fur jedes

altenglische Wort das etymologisch entsprechende neuhochdeutsche,

wenn vorhanden, einzusetzen. So ist die Uebersetzung zugleich ein

sprachgeschichtliches Werk.'—Vorwort.

Text Used.

The translation is based on Heyne's text of 1 863 ^

(Vorwort). Fragmentary passages are not restored.

Extract.

IX.

500 Hunferd sprach, des Ecglif Sohn,

Welcher zu Fiissen sass des Herren der Scyldinge;

Er loste der Streiter Geheimniss—ihm war Beowulfs Fahrt,

Des mutigen Meerfahrers, zu grossem Neid,

Weil er nicht gonnte, dass irgend ein anderer

Jamais nun mehr Ruhmesthaten

Unter dem Himmel der Erde erwarb als er selbst

:

' Bist du Beowulf, der du mit Breca kampftest

Auf weiter See in einem Wettschwimmen,

Dort durchforschtet ihr beide aus Stolz die Fluten

Und wagtet aus verwegener Ruhmsucht im tiefen Wasser

510 Euer Leben? Euch beiden konnte keiner,

Weder Freund noch Feind, vorweifen

^ See supra, p. 64.

Steineck's Translation 113

Die gefahrvoUe Reise; da rudertet ihr beide im Wasser,Dort uberdecktet ihr beide den Wasserstrom mit Armen,Ihr masst die Meeresstrassen, mit Handen schwangt ihr,

Ihr glittet iiber die Flut ; das Meer wallte in Fluten,

Des Winters Gewoge ; ihr miihtet euch in des Wassers Gewalt

Sieben Nachte ab; er besiegte dich beim Schwimmen,Er hatte grossere Kraft. Da warf ihn in der Morgenzeit

An das Headorasmenland die See,

520 Von dort aus suchte er das traute Stammgut auf,

Der seinen Leuten Teure, das Land der Brondinge,

Die schone Friedensburg, wo er Volk besass,

Burg und Ringe. Alles, wozu er sich dir verpflichtete,

Leistete der Sohn Bgansttas wahrhaftig.'


It would be manifestly unfair to criticize this translation

for its want of grace and melody, because it is avowedly

a literal rendering, and a literal rendering makes no attempt

to attain these qualities. But there are certain things

which are indispensable in a good literal translation. It

is imperative that such a translation should be based on

the best text of the original poem. What has Steineck

done ? He has gone back thirty-five years and chosen an

early and inaccurate edition of a work that has been five

times re-edited, Heyne's text of 1 863 ! It seems almost

incredible that a German, living in the midst of scholars

who have done more than any other people to interpret

the Beowulf, should ignore the fruits of their efforts.

It is unnecessary to enumerate the faults of this trans-

lation due to dependence upon an antiquated edition of

the text. Suffice it to say that when the edition of 1 863

was printed the text had not yet been properly transcribed

from the MS.i

But there are evidences of an inaccuracy of a different

kind that betray a carelessness utterly reprehensible. The

' See also supra, p. 8.

H


author is apparently unable to transliterate properly the

Old English names. Thus he has Vealhpeon and Vealhpeo

(for Wealhtheow), Ecgpeow, Halbdaene (for Healfdene),

Ermanarich, &c.

In his attempt to produce an etymological document,

the translator uses many compounds such as even the

German language might be better without ; such are

—

Sippenschar (sibbegedriht), 730 ; Schattenwandler (sceadu-

genga), 704; Wangenpolster (hleor-bolster), 689; Leib-

panzer (llc-syrce), 550. As compounds these may not be

offensive to a German ; but the trouble with them is that

they do not translate the Old English ideas.

Finally, it may be asked why a translation that appeals

only as a literal rendering should not be strictly literal,

noting its every variation from the original, italicizing

supplied words, holding to the original word-order.

Steineck's translation did not advance the interpreta-

tion of Beowulf a whit. In point of accuracy the bookis not worthy to stand with good translations thirty

years old.

J. R. C HALL'S TRANSLATION

Beowulf, and the Fight at Finnsburg, a translation into

modern English prose, with an Introduction and Notes, byJohn R. Clark Hall, M.A., Ph.D. With twelve illustra-

tions ^. London : Swan Sonnenschein and Company, Lim.,

1 901. 8°, pp. xlv, 303.

Tenth English Translation. Prose.

Chiefly of Anglo-Saxon antiquities.

J. R. C. Hall's Translation 115

Translator, and Circumstances of Publication.

Hitherto Dr. Hall had been chiefly known to the

learned world for his excellent Anglo-Saxon Dictionary

for Students.

Up to this time no prose translation had appeared in

England since 1876, save Earle's^, which for the elementary-

student was practically useless. Moreover, this translation

was the first to embody the results of various studies onthe poeip during the past decade.

Contents.

Unlike the preceding works on Beowulf, it may be said

that the introductory and illustrative matter in this bookis of quite as much importance as the translation. Theauthor says of his book :

—

' The following pages comprise a short statement of what is actually

known with respect to the poem of Beowulf, another statement of

what seems to me most likely to be true amongst the almost innumer-

able matters of conjecture concerning it, and a few words of literary

appreciation.'—Introduction, p. ix.

Statements similar to these have been put forth by other

translators of the poem, but the material of their volume

has not always borne them out. The studies of the poemin the Introduction are suiificient for a school edition of

Beowulf— a. similar body of information is not found in

any of the existing editions—while annotations of some

importance to the elementary student are found in the

notes and running comment. The book contains, beside

the translation, a discussion of the form, language, geo-

graphical allusions, date, and composition of the poem, as

well as a useful, though inaccurate, bibliography ^.

' See supra, p. 91.^ See my forthcoming review of the book in ih^Journal of Germanic

Philology.

H3

ii6 The Translations of Beowulf

Text Used.

The translation is founded on the text of A. J. Wyatt,

Cambridge, 1894. Dr. Hall does not always follow the

interpretations given in Wyatt's glossary, nor is the

punctuation of the translation conformed to that of the

Old English text.

Indebtedness to Preceding Scholars.

In his translation Dr. Hall seems to be most indebted to

the work of Professor Earle^ (see lines 4, 71, 517, 85a, 870,

926, 996, 1213, 1507, 2021, 3034, &c.).

Frequent reference is also made to the work of Cosijn,

Aanteekeningen op den Beowulf (1892). The work of

other scholars, such as Bugge, Heyne, Socin, is also

referred to.


The translation is a literal prose version. It is constantly

interrupted by bits of running comment, designed to over-

come the inherent obscurity of the poem, or to afford an

elaborate digest of the story if read without the translation

(P-7.The rendering avoids archaisms.

Bugge's restoration is used at line 3150 ; the passage at

line 2315 is not restored.

Extract.

VIII.

Unferth taunts Beowulf. Beowulf's Contest with Breca.

(Lines 499-558.)

(499-505). Now comes ajarring note. Unferth, a Danish courtier,

is devoured byjealousy, and taunts Beowulf.

Then Unferth, the son of Ecglaf, who sat at the feet of the lord of

the Scyldings, spoke, and gave vent to secret thoughts of strife,—the

See supra, p. 91.

/. i?. C. Hall's Translation 117

journey of Beowulf, the brave sea-farer, was a great chagrin to him, for

he grudged that any other man under heaven should ever obtain more

glory on this middle-earth than he himself.

(506-528). ' Art thou the same Beowulf^ says he, ' who ventured oh

afoolhardy swimming match with Breca on the open sea in winteri,for

seven days, and got beaten ? A worse fate is in store for thee whenthou meetest GrendeW

' Art thou that Beowulf who strove with Breca, contested with him

on the open sea, in a swimming contest, when ye two for vainglory

tried the floods, and ventured your lives in deep water for idle boasting ?

Nor could any man, friend or foe, dissuade you from your sorry enter-

prise when ye swam on the sea ; when ye compassed the flowing

stream with your arms, meted out the sea-paths, battled with your

hands, and glided over the ocean ; when the sea, the winter's flood,

surged with waves. Ye two toiled in the water's realm seven nights;

he overcame you at swimming, he had the greater strength. Then, at

morning time, the ocean cast him up on the Heathorsemas' land.

Thence, dear to his people, he sought his beloved fatherland, the land

of the Brondings, his fair stronghold-city, where he had subjects and

treasures and a borough. The son of Beanstan performed faithfully

all that he had pledged himself to. So I expect for thee a worse

fatality,—though thou hast everywhere prevailed in rush of battle,

—

gruesome war,—if thou darest await Grendel at close quarters for the

space of a night.'


The extract is typical of all that is best in the translation.

It is a thoroughly accurate piece of work, failing only where

Wyatt's edition of the text is unsatisfactory. Translations

like ' gave vent to secret thoughts of strife ' and ' thou hast

prevailed in the rush of battle ' show that the work is the

outcome of long thought and deep appreciation. At times

the translation, as here, verges on a literary rendering. But

in this respect the first part of the poem is vastly superior

to the later parts, though all three are marred by extreme

literalness. Dr. Hall did not always escape the strange

diction that has so often before disfigured the translations

of Beowulf:—

ii8 The Translations of Beowulf

Line 2507, ' my unfriendly hug finished his bony frame.'

.. "^5^3, ' The Geat's free-handed friend crowed not in

pride of victory.'

„ 2655, 'Fell the foe and shield the Weder-Geat

Lord's life.

„ 3688, ' the public scourge, the dreadful salamander.'

„ 2834, ' show his form ' (said of the Dragon).

„ 3885, 'hopelessly escheated from your breed.'

It is also rather surprising to learn from Dr. Hall that

Beowulf was one of those that 'advanced home govern-

ment '(1. 3005).

It should be added that the explanatory comment which

constantly interrupts the translation, often six or eight

times in a section, is annoying, both because it distracts

the attention and because it is often presented in a style

wholly inappropriate to the context.

But this absence of ease and dignity does not hinder

Dr. Hall's translation from being an excellent rendering

of the matter of the poem, at once less fanciful than

Earle's ^ and more modern than Garnett's % its only rivals

as a literal translation. That it conveys an adequate

notion of the style of Beowulf, however, it is impossible

to affirm.

TINKER'S TRANSLATION

Beowulf, translated out of the Old English by Chauncey

Brewster Tinker, M.A. New York: Newsonand Co., 1903.

13°, pp. 158.

Eleventh English Translation. Prose.

' See supra, p. 91. ' See supra, p. 83.

Tinker's Translation 119

Aim of the Volume and Nature of the Translation.

' The present translation oi Beowulf is an attempt to make as simpleand readable a version of the poem as is consistent with the characterof the original. Archaic forms, which have been much in favor withtranslators of Old English, have been excluded, because it has beenthought that vigor and variety are not incompatible with simple,

idiomatic English. . . .

The principal ways in which the present version differs from amerely literal translation are the following : (i) in a rather broad inter-

pretation of pregnant words and phrases; (2) in a conception of some

of the Old English compounds as conventional phrases in which the

original metaphorical sense is dead; (3) in a free treatment of con-

necting words; (4) in frequent substitution of a proper name for an

ambiguous pronoun.

The translation is based on the text of A. J. Wyatt (Cambridge,

1898) ; a few departures from his readings are enumerated in the

Notes.'—Preface, pp. S, 6.

Extract.

viii and ix.

Unferth, a thane ofHrothgar, grows jealous of Beowulf and taunts

Mm, raking up old tales of a swimming-match with Breca.

Beowulf is angered and boastfully tells the truth touching that

adventure, andputs Unferth to silence. Queen Wealhtheow passes

the cup. Hrothgar commends Heorot to the care ofBeowulf,

Unferth, the son of Ecglaf, who sat at the feet of the lord of

the Scyldings, spoke, and stirred up a quarrel ; the coming of

Beowulf, the brave seafarer, vexed him sore, for he would not that any

other man under heaven should ever win more glories in this world

than he himself. ' Art thou that Beowulf who didst strive with Breca

on the broad sea and didst contend with him in swimming, when ye

two, foolhardy, made trial of the waves and for a mad boast risked

your lives in the deep water ? None, friend or foe, could turn you from

the sorry venture when ye two swam out upon the sea. But ye

enfolded the ocean-streams with your arms, measured the sea-streets,

buffeted the water with your hands, gliding over the deep. The ocean

was tossing with waves, a winter's sea. Seven nights ye toiled in the

power of the waters ; and he overcame thee in the match, for he had

the greater strength. Then at morning-tide the sea cast him up on

I20 The Translations of Beowulf

the coast of the Heathorasmas, whence he, beloved of his people, went

to his dear fatherland, the country of the Brondings, and his own fair

city where he was lord of a stronghold, and of subjects and treasure.

Verily, the son of Beanstan made good all his boast against thee.

Wherefore, though thou hast ever been valiant in the rush of battle,

I look to a grim fight, yea, and a worse issue, for thee, if thou darest

for the space of one night abide near Grendel.'

APPENDIX I

INCOMPLETE TRANSLATIONS. ANDPARAPHRASES

LEO'S DIGEST

Beowulf, dasz^ alteste deutsche in angelsachsischer

mundart erhaltene heldengedicht nach seinem inhalte, und

nach seinen historischen und mythologischen beziehungen

betrachtet. Ein beitrag zur geschichte alter deutscher

geisteszustande. Von H. Leo. Halle, bei Eduard Anton,

1839. 8°, pp. XX, lac.

Selections Translated into German Prose.

Contents of the Volume, and Nature of the Translation.

This was the first German book to give any extended

account of the poem.

The titles of the chapters are : I. Historische Anlehnung

;

II. Mythischer Inhalt ; HI. Die geographischen Angaben

;

IV. Genealogische Verhaltnisse der in dem Liede vorkom-

menden Helden ; V. Uebersicht des Inhalts des Gedichtes

von Be6wulf. In this fifth chapter are found the extracts

from Beowulf. It will be seen that the chapter is some-

what subordinate to the others, its chief purpose being to

furnish a kind of digest of the poem, to be used principally

as a work of reference. A desire to condense leads the

translator to omit lines that he does not deem essential to

• Leo was a spelling reformer.


an understanding of the events and characters of the poem.

Unfortunately his omissions are often the most poetical

lines of the Beowulf. For example, he omits the descrip-

tion of Beowulf's sea-voyage ; Hrothgar's account of the

haunt of Grendel and his dam is curtailed ; the dying

words of Beowulf, perhaps the most beautiful lines in the

poem, are clipped. Further examples may be found in

the extract given below. This insufficiency is excused bythe fact that Leo's main object in preparing the book was

to prove certain theories that he held respecting the origin

and date of the poem.

The text from which he translates is Kemble's ^.

Extract.

ACHTER GESANG.

Hiinferd Ecglifs sohn, der zu des scildingenfiirsten fiissen sasz,

began da ein streiterregendesz gesprach ; denn er wird eifersiichtig

auf den rum, den Bedwulf sich zu erwerben geht. Er selbst wil der

beriimteste sein unter den wolken. Er sagte :' Bistu der Bedwulf, der

mit Brecca ein wetschwimmen hielt sieben tage und nachte lang, bis

er dich in schwimmen besigte, der kraftigere man ; dann am achten

morgen stig er auf HedJorames ansz land und gieng heim zu den

Brondingen, wo er eine burg und edlesz gefolge und reichtum hatte ?

Bednstanes sohn hat dir allesz geleistet, wasz er gewettet hatte.'

Omissions

:

—Line 503, modges mere-faran.

„ 507-517 entire.

„ 5ao, swaesne edel, leof his leodum.

Criticism of the Extract.

As an analysis this is good enough ; as a translation of

the passage it is of course utterly inadequate—it omits

the very best lines in the original. The book served, how-ever, as- a running digest of the story, and as such gave an

' See supra, p. 33.

Leo's Digest 123

excellent idea of the contents of the poem. But Ettmiiller

was justified in calling the translation which he published

the next year, ' the first German translation ^.'

SANDRAS'S ACCOUNT

De carminibus anglo-saxonicis Ceedmoni adjudicatis

Disquisitio. Has theses Parisiensi Litterarum Facultati

proponebat S. G. Sandras in Lycaeo Claromontensi

Professor. Parisiis, Apud A. Durand, Bibliopolam, 1859.

8°, pp. 87. Beowulf described Cap. Primum, § a, DeProfana Poesi, pp. 10-19.

Extracts Translated into Latin Prose.

The only significance of this book is that it contained

the first information about Beowulf given to the French

public. About ten lines are literally translated in Cap. I,

§ I, all under the general title, De Poesi Saxonica. In § a

the poem is rather carefully sketched, much after the

manner of Leo ^, from Beowulf's arrival in the Danish land

to the fight with Grendel.

E. H. JONES'S PARAPHRASE

Popular Romances of the Middle Ages. By George W.Cox, M.A., and Eustace Hinton Jones. London : Long-

mans, Green, & Co., 1871. 8°, Beowulf (by E. H. Jones),

pp. 383-398.

*Second edition, in one volume (containing, in addition

to the romances in the first edition, those formerly published

' See supra, p. 37. « " See supra, p. 122.


under the title ' Tales of the Teutonic Lands '). C. KeganPaul & Company: London, 1880 (1879).

A Paraphrase for General Readers.

Aim of the Volume.

' The thought that these old romances may be presented to English-

men of the present day in a form which shall retain their real vigour

without the repulsive characteristics impressed on them by a com-

paratively rude and ignorant age may not, perhaps, be regarded as

inexcusably presumptuous. With greater confidence it may be affirmed

that, if we turn to these old legends or romances at all, it should be

for the purpose of learning what they really were, and not with any

wish of seeing them through a glass which shall reflect chiefly our ownthoughts about them and throw over them a colouring borrowed from

the sentiment of the nineteenth century.

' These two conditions have, it is hoped, been strictly observed in

the versions here given of some of the great romances of mediseval

Europe. While special care has been taken to guard against the

introduction even of phrases not in harmony with the original narra-

tives, not less pains have been bestowed on the task of preserving all

that is essential in the narrative ; and thus it may perhaps be safely

said that the readers of this volume will obtain from it an adequate

knowledge of these time-honoured stories, without having their atten-

tion and their patience overtaxed by a multiplicity of superfluous and

therefore utterly irksome details.'—Preface, pp. vi, vii.

Nature of the Paraphrase.

The poem is relieved of all the episodes except the

prolog and King Hrothgar's discourse. Sometimes these

omissions seem unnecessary. It is certainly a mistake to

sacrifice the swimming-match, lively in its narrative,

dramatic in setting.

On the other hand, the author makes an attempt to

preserve as much as possible of the original style. Soanxious is he to save every picturesque word of the

original, that he sometimes transfers expressions from

the passages which he is obliged to drop and inserts

them in other parts of the* story.

Paraphrase by E. H. Jones 125

Extract ^.

' Away to the westward among the people of the Gedts lived a man,

strongest of his race, tall, mighty-handed, and clean made. He was

a thane, kinsman to Hygeldc the Gedtish chief, and nobly born, being

son of Ecgtheow the Wsgmunding, a war-prince who wedded with the

daughter of Hrethel the Gedt. This man heard of Grendel's deeds,

of Hrothgdr's sorrow, and the. sore distress of the Danes, and having

sought out fifteen warriors, he entered into a new-pitched ship to seek

the war-king across the sea. Bird-like the vessel's swan-necked prow

breasted the white sea-foam till the warriors reached the windy walls

of cliff and the steep mountains of the Danish shores. They thanked

God because the wave-ways had been easy to them ; then, sea-wearied,

lashed their wide-bosomed ship to an anchorage, donned their war-

weeds, and came to Heorot, the gold and jewelled house. Brightly

gleamed their armour and merrily sang the ring-iron of their trappings

as they marched into the palace.'—Pages 384-5.

Criticism of the Paraphrase.

The object of a paraphrase is to present all the essential

matter of the original, in a style materially simpler than,

though not unrelated to, the original.

The matter of Mr. Jones's paraphrase is not above

criticism. It is full of minor errors. In the extract, for

example, the original does not say that the heroes ' donned

their war-weeds,' nor that there were mountains on the

shores of Denmark.

The style of the work is much better. It is throughout

strong and clear, not over-sentimental. It is, perhaps, too

intimate ; it savors slightly of the Mdrchen. This absence

of vigor and remoteness may be due to the nature of the

volume of which this paraphrase is only a part.

' Swimming-match omitted.


ZINSSER'S SELECTION

Jahresbericht iiber die Realschule zu Forbach (Loth-

ringen) fur das Schuljahr 1880 bis 1881, mit welchem zu

der offentlichen Priifung am Freitag den 12. August 1881

ergebenst einladet der Director A. Knitterscheid.

Voran geht eine Abhandlung des ordentlichen Lehrers

G. Zinsser : Der ' Kampf Beowulfs mit Grendel,' als Probe

einer metrischen Uebersetzung des angelsachsischen Epos'Bedvulf.' Saarbriicken. Druck von Gebriider Hofer.

1881. 4°, pp. 18, double columns, Schulnachrichten 6.

The First 836 Lines translated in Iambic Pentameter.

Aim, Contents, and Method of Translation.

' Gleichwol wird das Gedicht in deutscher Sprache noch wenig

gelesen ; und es mag darum gerechtfertigt sein, wenn auch ein weniger

Berufenerein Scharflein zum weiteren Bekanntwerden dieses altehrwiir-

digen Erzeugnisses germanischen Geistes beitragen will. Derselbe

hat in seiner Uebersetzung, von welcher im Folgenden von 3184

Versen nur die ersten 826 ^ namlich der Kampf Beowulfs mit Grendel

mit vorausgehender Genealogie der danischen Konige, vorgefiihrt

werden, alles vermieden, was dem Laien das Verstandnis erschweren

konnte. Die am Schluss beigefiigten mythologischen, historischen

und geographischen Erlauterungen konnen auch denen willkommen

sein, welche sich eingehender mit dem Gedicht beschaftigen woUen.'

—

Einleitung, 4.

Text Used.

The text used is Heyne's edition of 1873 (see Ein-

leitung, 4).

Extract.

9-

Doch Hunferd, Ecglafs Sohn, der beim Gelage

Zu Fiissen Hrodgars, seines Herren, sass.

War vol! Verdruss, der Ruhm des Beowulf

Erregte bittren Neid im Busen ihm.

' According to the Old English text, 836.

Zinsser's Selection 137

Er konnte nicht ertragen, wenn beim Volke

Ein andrer mehr gepriesen ward, als er.

Vol! Aerger sucht' er Handel, also sprechend

:

' Du bist gewiss der Beowulf, der einst

Im Meer mit Breca um die Wette schwamm?Ihr masset damals euch in kiihnem Wagen

!

Das muhevoUe Werk euch auszureden

Vermochte niemand, tollkiihn setztet ihr

Das Leben ein und schwammt ins Meer hinaus.

Zerteiltet mit den Armen kraftgemut

Des Meeres Wogen, glittet rasch dahin

In kalter Flut. Ihr miihtet sieben Nachte

Euch ab, und endlich siegte Brecas Starke,

Er war dir doch voran an Heldenkraft.

Ihn trug die Flut zur Morgenzeit hinauf

Zum Hadoramenstrand. Von dort gelangt'

Er dann zu seiner Burg in Brondingland,

Die, starkbefestigt, funkelndes Geschmied,

Der Spangen und Juwelen viele birgt.

Es jubelte sein Volk dem Herren zu,

Der kiihn sein Wort gelost, nachdem er so

Im Wettkampf glanzend hatte obgesiegt !

'

Criticism of the Extract.

The translation is very free. Lines that are obscure in

the original are not allowed to be obscure in the transla-

tion, even if they have to have a meaning read into them.

For example, in the extract quoted above, beadu-runen

onband of the original is rendered 'sucht' er Handel,'

thoroughly intelligible, but not accurate. There is at

times a tendency to paraphrase, or even to introduce an

original sentence into the poem. An example of this maybe seen at the close of the first canto :

—

' unerforschlich sind

Und dunkel oft die Wege des Geschickes '.'—Page 5, 1.54.

' The Old English reads :—Men ne cunnon

secgan to soda, sele-raedende

hxled under heofenum, hwa Jjffim hiasste onfeng.—Lines 50-52.


Words are occasionally omitted. In the extract above

ne leof ne lad (1. 511) and sunu Beanstanes (1. 524) are

omitted in translation. There are no lines in the original

which correspond to the last line and a half of the extract.

Of course by adopting this method of translation the

writer attains his purpose. His poem is readable, but read-

able at the expense of accuracy. As a paraphrase, the

version is commendable ; but it is hardly of importance in

any other way.

GIBE'S PARAPHRASE

*Gudrun and other Stories, from the Epics of the Middle

Ages, by John Gibb. M. Japp & Company : London

:

Edinburgh (printed), 1881.

Gudrun, Beowulf, and Roland, with other mediaeval

tales by John Gibb, with twenty illustrations. Second

edition. London : T, Fisher Unwin, 1884 (1883).

8°, Beowulf, pp. 135-168, with three illustrations ^.

A Paraphrase in English Prose.

Aim of the Volume.

' I have not translated them (the poems) literally, but have told their

stories faithfully in simple language, with the special design of interest-

ing young people, although I am not without hope that they will be

read by some who can no longer be called young.'-^Prefatory Note.


The following parts are omitted : (i) All episodes except

the Prolog; (a) All lines that do not have to do directly

' Woodcuts ; two of them are identical with the ones given in the

Wagner-MacDowall paraphrase : see infra, p. 130.

Gibb's Paraphrase 129

with the story; (3) All the descriptive adjectives and

kennings of the poem.

Gibb seems to care nothing for the beauties of the style.

How much he has sacrificed may be seen by noting his

rendering of the celebrated description of Grendel's haunt :

—

' I know not their home. It is in a dark lake overshadowed by

trees. Into that lake the stag will not plunge, even although the

hounds are close upon it, so fearful and unholy is the place.'

An illustration of the same thing may be seen by noting

the omission of phrases from the swimming-match.

Extract.

But Hunferth, the son of Ecglaf, who sat at the feet of King Hroth-

gar, was displeased. He was grieved that any hero should come to

the land boasting that he could do what no one among the Danescould do. He said scornfully to Beowulf

—

' Tell me, art thou the Beowulfwhom Breca overcame in a swimming

match ? I heard the tale. You both ventured out like foolish menamong the waves in the days of winter. For seven nights you swamtogether, but Breca was the stronger. Thou wilt have a worse defeat

shouldst thou venture to meet Grendel in the darkness of the night.'

—

Page 144.


In comparison with the work of Mr. Jones \ it may be

said that Mr. Gibb's paraphrase is fuller, reproduces more

events, and follows more faithfully the original order. Hesupplies' fewer explanatory words and sentences. But, on

the other hand, Mr. Gibb's work, unlike Mr. Jones's, has no

merits of style—it is all on a dead level of prose. Thus

it sins against one of the , laws of paraphrase : that the

writer, in relieving himself of the exacting duties of trans-

lator, must present the story in a more literary and more

truly adequate medium. Mr. Gibb's is one of the poorer

paraphrases.

^ See supra, p. 123.

I

13° The Translations of Beowulf

Indebtedness to Arnold.

At page a8o of the concluding chapter, the author speaks

of the history and character of the poem. It will be found

on reference to this section that the author is a follower of

the views set forth in the edition of Mr. Thomas Arnold ^.

It is probable that Mr. Gibb was indebted to this book for

much of his paraphrase, but the free character of the

version prevents any decision on this point

THE WAGNER-MACDOWALLPARAPHRASE

Epics and Romances of the Middle Ages. Adapted

from the Work of Dr. W. Wagner by W. M. MacDowall,

and edited by W. S. W. Anson. Philadelphia : J. B.

Lippincott & Co., London : W. Swan Sonnenschein & Co.,

1883. 8°, Beowulf pp. 347-364, with two illustrations^.

Second Edition, Oct. 1883.

Sixth Edition, 1890.

Eighth Edition, 1896.

Beowulf 'Bi&told, with Changes and Additions.

The paraphrase is adapted from Deutsche Heldensagen

fur Schule und Haus, by Dr. W. Wagner (Leipzig, 1881).

Aim of the Book.

From the nature of the changes made in the story, it is

evident that an appeal is made to younger readers. This

is borne out by the statement on p. 9 of the Introduction.

* See supra, p. 71. ° Woodcuts ; inaccurate.

The Wagner-Macdowall Paraphrase 131

Changes in the Story.

The story does not pretend to do more than follow the

most general outlines of the original. The most important

changes are in the first division of the poem, where it

would seem that no changes whatever were needed. Theprincipal additions are the following :

—

(i) A minstrel flees from plague-stricken Heorot, sails

to the Geatish land, and sings the terror wrought byGrendel, urging Beowulf to come and save the people.

(3) The swimming-match is introduced into the action

of the story, with the motif radically altered. Breca is

represented as winning the match.

(3) The incident of Beowulf's refusal of the crown is

amplified and introduced into the story at the opening of

the third part.

(4) The story differs from the original in a number of

minor details.

Extract.

The minstrel tuned his harp and sang of Beowulf's heroic deeds,

and prophesied that he would conquer and slay the monster of the

morass. This praise made Hunford, one of the courtiers, angry andjealous. He said it was Breka, not Beowulf, that had won the golden

chain * ; that the Gothic hero was undertaking an enterprise that would

very likely lead him to his death ; and he advised him to think twice

before attacking Grendel. Upon this, Beowulf exclaimed indignantly

that he had won a good sword instead of the golden chain, and that it

was sharp enough both to pierce the hide of the monster and to cut

out a slanderous tongue.


The extract gives a good idea of the author's sins of

omission and commission. It will be seen, for example,

that the tone of the entire passage is altered. The bit of

repartee in the last sentence is wholly foreign to the

Beowulf manner, which is outright and downright—the

' A prize offered by King Hygelak for the victor in the match.

I 3


very opposite of subtilty. The false manner is evident

at once when we compare the reply of the hero in the

original, 'Thou art the murderer of thine own brethren,

and thou shalt be damned in Hell. Wait till to-night,

and thou shalt see which of us is the stronger.'

The story is, if possible, more garbled than the style.

The mission of the minstrel and the mangled account of

the swimming-match have no essential or artistic relation

to the context. They are merely inserted to add to the

action of the piece.

The popularity of the book is attested by the number of

editions through which it has passed. The volume con-

tains also paraphrases of the legends about Arthur,

Charlemagne, and Tannhauser, as well as the story of

the Nibelungs. These must account for its enduring

success ; but it is unfortunate that this, the poorest of the

Beowulf paraphrases, should thus have found an audience

which it did not deserve and could never have commandedfor itself.

THERESE DAHN'S PARAPHRASEWalhall. Germanische Gotter- und Heldensagen. Fiir

Alt und Jung am deutschen Herd erzahlt von Felix Dahnund Therese Dahn, geb. Freiin von Droste-Hiilshoff. Mit

neunundfiinfzig Bildertafeln, Textbildern, Kopfleisten und

Schlussstiicken nach Federzeichnungen von Johapnes

Gehrts. Kreuznach, Verlag von R. Voigtlander, 1883.

Seventh Edition, 1885.

Eleventh Edition, 1891.

Twelfth Edition (Leipzig), 1898.

8", Beowulf (by Therese Dahn ^), pp. 361-405, with two

illustrations.

A Paraphrase in German Prose for General Readers.

^ See p. 662.

Therese Dahn's Paraphrase 133

Therese Dahn.

Therese Dahn, bom Freiin von Droste-Hiilshoff, wasborn in 1845, and married FeHx Dahn in 1873. Withhim she published in 1873 at Leipzig a volume of poems{Gedichte). For certain of her verses in this volume she

received high praise. She has since continued creative

work. She resides at Breslau, where Felix Dahn is pro-

fessor in the University. Of the stories in the present

volume she wrote, beside Beowulf, Die Wdlsungen, Kudrun,

the story of Konig Wilkinus, &c., Wieland der Schmied,

Walther und Hildgund, and the stories from the Dietrich

saga and the Nibelungen saga.


The following parts of the story are omitted entirely

:

the account of the first King Beowulf in the Prolog ; the

Sigemund episode, Hrothgar's Discourse ; the Thrytho

episode ; the Freawaru episode ; Beowulf's account of his

Fight with Grendel as told to King Hygelac ; the Battle

of Ravenswood.

Other changes in the story are as follows : the sorrows

of the Danes as told in the Prolog are attributed to

the reign of King Heremod ; in a separate Kapitel (III)

are gathered the Sorrows of King Hrethel, the account

of Ongentheow, the Fall of Hygelac, and the Death of

Heardred. The Fight at Finnsburg is added and an

original beginning provided for it.

Obscure words, phrases, and lines are omitted ; and

explanatory words are inserted from time to time.

Indebtedness to Simrock.

The translation was evidently made with Simrock's trans-

lation ^ in hand ; possibly it may have been made directly

' See supra, p. 59-


from that version. Evidence of the dependence uponSimrock may be found at every step. The forms of the

proper names invented by Simrock are repeated here

(e. g., Aeskhere, Hadkynn, Ochthere). His renderings of

the unique words in the poem (sometimes in a slightly

simplified form) are used in the paraphrase. Often the

original word used by Simrock is added in parentheses

(cf., e. g., Simrock, p. 72.6 with Dahn, p. 382, and p. 73.44

with Dahn, p. 383). Further evidence may be found bycomparing the extracts given in this work.

Extract.

Hunferd, des Konigs erster Sanger, hub da ein Streitlied an ; ihmwar Beowulfs Ankunft leid : denn er liebte es nicht, dass ein ihn anderer

an Ruhm ubertrefFe.

' Bist du der Beowulf, der einst im Wettkampf mit Breka dutch die

See schwamm ? Wo ihr toUkiihn in vermessenem Mut euer Leben in

den tiefen Wassern wagtet ? Weder Freund noch Feind konnten euch

abhalten. Da rudertet ihr in den Sund, masset die Meeresstrassen,

schlugt die Wasser mit den Handen, iiber die Tiefen gleitend. Die

winterkalte See stiirmte und brauste : sieben Nachte schwammt ihr im

Wasser. Breka besiegte dich : er hatte mehr Kraft. Die Hochflut

warf ihn am nachsten Morgen ans Land, von wo er in seine Heimat

eilte, in das Land der Brondinge, wo er iiber Burg und Volk gebietet.'

—

Page 370.


In many places the work is practically a translation, so

closely has the original been followed. The style is

agreeable and simple ; but most of what is beautiful in the

diction belongs to Simrock rather than to Frau Dahn.

The omissions are the most sensible that I have found

in a paraphrase. Nothing of first importance has been

lost.


STOPFORD BROOKE'S SELECTIONS

The History of Early English Literature, being the

History of English Poetry from its Beginnings to the

Accession of King Alfred. By Stopford A. Brooke. NewYork and London : The Macmillan Co., 1 89a. 8°, 'Beowulf,

pp. 13-93.

English Literature from the Beginning to the NormanConquest. By Stopford A. Brooke. New York and

London: The Macmillan Co., 1898. 8°, Beowulf, pp.

58-83.

Digest, Running Comment, and Translation of Copious

Extracts into Imitative Measures.

Reasons for including this Book.

This volume is included here because of the great in-

fluence it has had in forming popular notions regarding

the Beowulf The eminence of Mr. Brooke as a critic and

as a poet has given him the attention of an audience

hardly commanded by any other writer included in this

paper.

Again, the number of lines actually translated by Mr.

Brooke is equal to that in many of the volumes described

in this section.

Difference between the two Editions.

The account in the second volume is much shorter than

that in the first ; only twelve pages are given to the story

of Beowulf, while the first volume gives forty-three. The

later book omits all discussion of the episodes, and, although

parts of the older volume are retained, the matter is,

in general, re-written.



Translated extracts accompany the story as told byMr. Brooke.

In his Preface (p. ix), the author speaks of the futility

of prose translations of poetry, and of the inadequacy of

modem English media for translating the spirit of the

poetry. Finally he adopts a line which he hopes will

' fulfil the needs and follow closely the peculiarities ' of OldEnglish.

' I chose after many experiments, the trochaic movement used in

this book, each half-line consisting of trochees following one another,

with a syllable at the end, chiefly a long one, to mark the division

of the line. I varied the line as much as I could, introducing, often

rashly, metrical changes ; for the fault of this movement is its

monotony. I have sometimes tried an iambic movement, but rarely;

for this trochaic line with a beat at the end of each half-verse seemedto me to get the nearest to the sound of the Anglo-Saxon line, even

though it is frequently un-similar to that line itself. I used alKteration

whenever I could, and stressed as much as possible the alliterated

words, and I changed the length of the line with the changes of the

original. But when I could not easily alliterate my line or stress the

alliterated word, I did not try to do so.'

The author adopts an archaic diction. The word-order

of the Old English is followed whenever possible.

Text Used.

The text appears to be that of Grein-Wiilker (1883).

Extract ^.

There at haven stood, hung with rings the ship,

Ice-bright, for the outpath eager, craft of Aethelings.

So their lord, the well-beloved, all at length they laid

In the bosom of the bark, him the bracelet-giver,

—

By the mast the mighty king. Many gifts were there

Fretted things of fairness brought from far-off ways.

—

'^ The swimming-match is not available for illustration here.


Never heard I of a keel hung more comelily about

With the weeds of war, with the weapons of the battle,

With the bills and byrnies. On his breast there lay

A great heap of gems that should go with him.

Far to fare away in the Flood's possession ^.—Page 26.


While the extracts cannot always be praised for their

accuracy, they are, perhaps, sufficiently faithful for a popu-

lar work. When the author undertakes to emend the text

for himself, or offers an original interpretation, his work

is not always trustworthy. Emendations in his Beowulf

selections, however, are rare.

The style of the extracts seems needlessly obscure.

This is due in part to following too closely the original

word-order (see lines 4 and 5 of the extract), and in part to

the free use of archaic language. Mr. Brooke does not hesi-

tate to employ such forms as, 'house-carles,' 'grit-wall,'

' ness-slopes,' 'host-shafts,' 'war-wood,' 'gold-flakM shields,'

' grinning-masked helms,' which it would seem must be

quite unintelligible to the majority of Mr, Brooke's

readers.

The verse, which has been fully discussed above, is,

perhaps, the most satisfactory feature of Mr. Brooke's work.

Of course it is not strictly imitative, as he himself explains,

but it gives a fairly good impression of the movement of

the Old English verse.

^ In the second edition, the penultimate line reads, 'Jewels great

and heaped,' &c.


MISS RAGOZIN'S PARAPHRASE

Tales of the Heroic Ages. Siegfried, the Hero of the

North, and Beowulf, the Hero of the Anglo-Saxons, byZenafde A. Ragozin. G. P. Putnam's Sons, New Yorkand London, 1898. 8°, Beowulf, pp. 211-323, with Notea-t P- 'h'^'i,

and with four illustrations by George T. Tobin.

School Edition, New York, W. B. Harison, 1900.


The Author, and the Aim of her Book.

Miss Zenaide Alexeievna Ragozin, a Russian by birth,

an American by adoption, has devoted herself to the

popularization of history and mythology. In the series

Stories of the Nations, she has published, The Story of

Chaldea, The Story ofAssyria, The Story of Media, Babylon,

and Persia, The Story of Vedic India.' Of late she has

turned her attention to the mythology of the various

European nations, and has written of Siegfried, Frithjof,

and Roland.

The object of her work may be given in her ownwords :

—

' (The series is) intended as parallel reading to history, and planned

to illustrate history. . . . Great changes are coming over the schools,

. . . changes in the right direction, which may shortly amount to

a revolution, when there will be no reason why these Tales of the

Heroic Ages should not, although addressed to young people at

large, find a place, if not in the school curriculum, at least in the

wide margin of so-called ' Supplementary Reading.' May they prove

acceptable, not alone to the young, to whom they are specially

addressed, but also, as has been felicitously said, to "the old with

young tastes." '—Pages xx, xxii.

Miss Ragozin's Paraphrase 139

Method of Paraphrase.

' (The style) should be simple and epical ; faithfully following the

main lines, bringing out also the characteristic details—the poetical

beauties, picturesque traits, and original dialogue, as much as maybe consistent with necessary condensation and, frequently, elimina-

tion. It should be a consecutive, lively narrative, with the necessary

elucidating explanations incorporated in the text and with the fewest

and briefest possible footnotes, while it should contain no critical

or mythological digressions. . . . What we want in telling it to the

young, is to take the epic just as it is, condensing and expurgating,

but not changing ; rendering the characters, scenes and situations

with the faithfulness and reverence due to the masterpiece of a race ;

using as much as possible, especially in the dialogue, the words of

the original. . . . (The language) should be simple, though not untinged

with quaintness, and even in places a certain degree of archaism.'

—

Pages xvi, xix, xxi.

Indebtedness to Earle.

' Professor Earle's ^ version has been fully utilized in the present

volume, even to the extent of frequently making use of its wording,

where it is not too archaic or literal for ordinary purposes.'—Page

330, footnote.

Some notion of the extent of this borrowing may be had

by examining the extract printed below and the criticism

that follows.

Extract.

Yet there was one eye that gleamed not with merriment and

goodwill, one head that hatched no friendly thoughts, because the

heart swelled with malice and envy. Unferth it was, the king's own

story-teller, who sat at his feet, to be ready at all times to amuse

him. He broached a quarrelsome theme—an adventure in Beowulf's

youth, the only contest in his record the issue of which, though

hard fought, might be called doubtful. For this Unferth was an

envious wight, whose soul grudged that any man should achieve

greater things than himself.

' Art thou not,' he began tauntingly, ' that same Beowulf who strove

with Breca on open sea in a swimming-match, in which ye both

' See supra, p. 91.


wantonly exposed your lives, and no man, either friend or foe, could

turn you from the foolish venture? A se'nnight ye twain toiled in

the realm of the waters, and, if I err not, he outdid thee in swimming,

for he had greater strength. Wherefore I fear me much that thou

mayest meet with sorry luck if thou darest to bide here for Grendel

for the space of a whole night.'


It may be inferred from the dependence upon the work

of Earle that Miss Ragozin's knowledge of Old English

is of the slightest. This inference is borne out by frequent

misapprehension of the original sense, due in large measure

to the use of a single translation. Thus on page 245,

Grendel is called 'the God-sent scourge,' and, again, on

p. 322, Beowulf is described as having been ' most genial

to his nobles.' Both of these errors are due to mis-

apprehension of Professor Earle's translation. The list

of proper names on p. 331 reveals an ignorance of some

fundamental facts of Old English pronunciation. Of course,

an intimate knowledge of the Beowulf style and diction

is not indispensable to the writer of a paraphrase, but the

writer who has it will naturally be superior to the writer

without it. For illustration. Miss Thomson^ never mis-

interprets a passage as does Miss Ragozin on page 264,

where nearly every sentence is false to the Beowulf

manner.

The paraphrase is slightly disfigured by the distinctively

Romance words which disfigure Earle's translation.

But these slight defects need not blind us to the service

done by Miss Ragozin in making Beowulf accessible to

school children. The style is, in general, strong and

effective, not without some of the beauty and dignity of

the Old English, but relieved of the more obscure and

recondite features of that style.

' See infra, p. 143.

Mr. Church's Paraphrase 141

MR. CHURCH'S PARAPHRASE

Heroes of Chivalry and Romance. By the Rev. A. J.

Church, M.A. London: Seeley and Company, 1898. 8°,

Beowulf, pp. 3-60. With two illustrations in colours byGeorge Morrow.

Beowulf Retold.

Contents of the Volume.

' The Story of Beowulf,' ' King Arthur and the RoundTable,' ' The Treasure of the Nibelungs.'

Indebtedness to Kemble and Earle.

' In writing the story of Beowulf I have been helped by Kemble's

translation and notes ^, and still more by Professor Earle's ^ admirable

edition.'^Author's Note.


All obscure words (especially kennings) and lines are

dropped. Many explanatory remarks are inserted to

elucidate the story. All speeches are greatly shortened.

Beowulf's tale of the fight is omitted entirely. Theepisodes are omitted, with the exception of the Sigemund

episode, one-half of which is translated into heroic couplets,

and the Finn episode, which is referred to in a single stanza

which paraphrases the story.

Concerning the Author.

The Rev. Alfred John Church (born 1 829) is known chiefly

for his popularizations of the classics. His best-known

works are Stories from Homer and Stories from Virgil.

^ See supra, p. 33."^ See supra, p. 91.


The present volume is an attempt to do for some of the

Germanic legends what had already been done for Homerand Virgil.

Extract.

But while they feasted envy stirred in the heart of Unferth, son

of Ecglaf. He was the King's orator, and he took it ill that Beowulf

should have come to the land of the Danes on this great enterprise,

for he was one who could not endure that any man under heaven

should do greater deeds than himself. Therefore he stood up in

the hall and spake: 'Art thou that Beowulf who contended with

Breca in swimming on the open sea? 'Twas, indeed, a foolhardy

thing so to put your lives in jeopardy, yet no man could turn you

from your adventure. Seven days and nights ye toiled, one against

the other, but he in the end prevailed, for he had the greater

strength. And on the eighth morning the waves cast him ashore

on the land of the Heathoram, whence he journeyed back to the

city of the Bronding, of which he was lord. So did Breca, son of

Beanstan, make good his boast against thee.'


The extract is so much fuller than the other parts of the

paraphrase that it hardly gives a fair notion of the nature

of the work. The author has appreciated the dramatic

quality of the swimming episode and preserved it nearly

entire. Other parts of the story are much less fortunate.

A little knowledge of Old English would have done the

author no harm, and would have saved him from some

errors. His most evident mistakes are in the forms of the

proper names. Such forms as these occur in his book:

Veleda, Hugon, Weopstan (sic), Hrethin, Hrethet.

The diction is unfortunate. The coast-warden becomes

a 'squire' (p. 7); Heorot is a 'banqueting hall' (p. 4,

showing the influence of Kemble's translation) ; Beowulf

and Breca were ' pages at the King's court ' (p. 13, showing

the influence of Earle's translation).

Petty inaccuracies occur throughout, such as, ' I counsel

Mr. Church's Paraphrase 143

that thou refuse not ' (p. 9) ; 'A faithful squire must needs

know the troubles of his lord ' (p. 7). In point of accuracy

this version is quite inferior to the work of Miss Thomson^;and in point of style and atmosphere to that of Mr. Jones *,

Miss Ragozin^ or Miss Thomson. The book, however,

is readable, and the author's name will doubtless serve to

give it a certain success.

MISS THOMSON'S PARAPHRASE

The Adventures of Beowulf, translated from the Old

English and adapted to the Use of Schools by Clara

Thomson*. London: Horace Marshall and Son, 1899.

8°, pp. 95. In the ' New English Series,' edited by E. E.

Speight.


Aim. of the Volume.

' It is meant mainly to arouse in children an interest in the beginnings

of our literature—a subject that is still terribly neglected in schools.

It makes no pretension to being an adequate or satisfactory Version

for grown-up readers.'—Page 6.

Method of Paraphrase.

'[Discrepancies in the poem] I have endeavoured to smooth over

by omission or by very slight additions ; and whenever of two readings

of a doubtful passage, one is more easily comprehensible than the

other, I have always adhered to this, even if on philological grounds it

seems less probable.' . .

.

1 See infra, p. 143."^ See supra, p. 123.

= See supra, p. 138.* Miss Thomson is better known as the biographer of Samuel

Richardson. See Samuel Richardson, a Biographical and Critical

Study. London, 1900.


' Many of the episodes in the story have been greatly shortened or

altogether omitted, since they interrupt the course of the narrative,

or divert the interest from the main theme.'—Pages 5, 6.

This statement is more modest than need be. It will befound that only two of the episodes are passed without

mention—the Prolog and the Tale of Thrytho. TheLegend of Sigemund and the Tale of Finn are rather fully

treated, and the Story of Freawaru and the Battle of

Ravenswood are both referred to. In each case the epi-

sodes are carefully woven into the story, and that without

superfluous words.

The words and sentences which are supplied are very

carefully chosen, and most of them have a prototype some-

where in the poem.

Extract.

Now, though most of Hrothgar's men rejoiced to see Beowulf, and

honoured him for his generous thought in coming to their help, there

was one who looked on him with dislike and envy, and was jealous of

the favour shown him by the king. This was Hunferth, who was

sitting on the dais at Hrothgar's feet. And when he heard what this

visitor intended to do, he grew angry and moody, because he could

not bear that any other man on earth should obtain greater honour

than he himself. So he began to rake up old tales that he had heard

of Beowulf, and tried to turn them to his hurt, saying scornfully

:

' Art thou that Beowulfwho once strove on the wide sea in a swimming-

match with Breca, when ye two in boasting dared to breast the wave,

and for vainglory risked your lives in the deep water ? There was no

man, friend nor foe, who could dissuade you from that sorrowful

journey ; but ye swam in the surf, stretching out yoijr arms over the

waves, and stirring up the surge with your hands. So did ye glide

across the ocean, while the waves weltered in wintry storms, and for

seven nights ye laboured in the tumult of the seas. But in the

end the victory was with Breca, for his might was the greater. Then

on the morning of the eighth day the tide bore him to the shore of

Norway, whence he visited his beloved home, the fair city of safety,

where he ruled over many people, over towns and treasure. Truly he

did perform all his boast against thee.'

Miss Thomson's Paraphrase 145


In the opinion of the present writer, no better paraphrase

of Beowulf exists.

It is perhaps unfortunate that the word 'translated' is

used on the title-page, for this is misleading. The proper

form is that used on the cover of the book, ' Beowulf, told

by Miss Clara Thomson.'

It were sufficient praise to point out that the author has

contrived to retain practically all of the poem, without

ever falsifying its spirit by introducing a superabundance

of explanatory phrases ^. She is always true to the story

(as Miss Ragozin ^ is not, for example, in the first section

of her work) ; she is equally true to the spirit of the poem(as Mr. Gibb^ is not). The style is both vigorous and

simple, not unworthy of the story it tells.

It will be surprising if Miss Thomson's work is not

popular in England, and the book should be known and

used in this country.

^ The author's argument against inserting the Prolog is soundenough ; but the omission of any part of the poem in a paraphrase

so good as Miss Thomson's is to be regretted." See supra, p. 138. ' See supra, p. 128.

K

APPENDIX II

A BIBLIOGRAPHY OF WORKS WHICH CON-TAIN SELECTIONS FROM BEOWULF

TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH

{Only works which translate at least thirty lines are noted.)

TEN Brink, Bernhard, and Kennedy, Horace, in

Early English Literature (to Wiclif). London and

New York, 1883. Verse.

Brown, Anna R., in Poet Lore, II, 133, 185. Verse,

11- a6-53, and 1493-157 1.

GuMMERE, F. B., in the American Journal of Philology,

VII, 77, 11. i-5a. Verse.

in Germanic Origins (New York, 189a), pp. 109 ff.

Verse.

Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth, in Poets and Poetry

of Europe, lines 18-40; 53-83; 189-257; 1789-1803 ;

2455-2462. Verse.

MoRLEY, Henry, in English Writers, I, pp. 287 ff. (second

edition, London, 1887). Verse.

Robinson, W. Clarke, in Introduction to our Early

English Literature (London, 1885). Lines 87-98

(verse), and 1-52 (prose).

Smith, C. Sprague, in the New Englander, IV, p. 49.

Lines 711-838; Section XII, Section XIII, 1493-

1652 ; Section XXIII, Section XXIV. Verse.

Appendix II 147

Sweet, Henry, in Warton's History of English Poetry,

ed. W. Carew Hazlitt (London, 1877). Vol. II,

pp. ii-ia. Prose.

TOLMAN, A. H., in Transactions of the Modern Language

Association, III, pp. 19 ff. In the 'Style of Anglo-

Saxon Poetry.' Prose.

Incomplete Paraphrase.

Palmer, Bertha, in Stories from the Classic Literature

of many Nations (New York, 1898), pp. 2,62,-2,6^.

Beowulf's Fight with Grendel, using J. L. Hall's trans-

lation as a basis.

K 2

APPENDIX III

TWO WORKS NAMED 'BEOWULF'

I.

Beowulf, Roman von Karl Manno (pseud. Carl von

Lemcke). In Deutsche Roman-Zeitung, Jahrg. 19, Bde.

I, a. Berlin, i88a.

A modern romance, having no relation to the OldEnglish poem.

II.

Mr. S. H. Church's * Beowulf.'

Beowulf, a Poem by Samuel Harden Church. New York

:

Stokes and Co., 1901.

An original poem, using some of the Beowulf material.

After speaking of his original intention of translating the

Beowulf, which he later discarded, the author says :

—

' I have . . . composed an original narrative in which the leading

characters and some of the incidents of the early work^ have been

freely used, but as materials only. I have transferred to my hero,

Beowulf, the picturesque history of Sceaf ^ ; have changed the relation-

ship of characters and incidents; have inserted the illumination of

Beowulf's soul, and his banishment ; and have introduced the love

motive between Beowulf and Freaware that runs through the poem to

the end. Indeed the structure, language, style, description, elabora-

tion, interpretation, and development of the story are new. I have

arbitrarily laid the scene in England, under purely idealized conditions

;

and have initiated nearly all that the poem contains of womanhood, of

love, of religion, of state-policy, and of domestic life and manners. It

is clear, therefore, that my work must not be judged either as a transla-

tion, version, or paraphrase of the old Beowulf.'

* i. e., the translation. " Scyld

INDEX OF TRANSLATORS

Arnold, Thomas, 71-4.

Botkine, L., 75-9,

ten Brink, B., and Kennedy,

H. M., 146.

Brooke, S. A., 135-7.

Brown, Anna R., 146.

Church, A. J., 141-3.

Conybeare,"J- J., 28-32.

Cox and Jones, see Jones.

Dahn, T., 132-4.

Earle, John, 91-5.

Ettmuller, L., 37-41.

Gamett, J. M., 83-7.

Gibb, J., 128-30.

Grein, C. W. M., 55-9.

Grion, G., 87-9.

Grundtvig, N. F. S., 22-8.

Gummere, F. B., 146.

Hall, John Lesslie, 95-9.

Hall, John R. Clark, 114-8.

Heyne, M., 63-7.

Hoffmann, P., 99-103.

Jones, E. H., 123-5.

Kemble, J. M., 33-7.

Kennedy, H. M., see ten Brink.

Lemcke, Carl von, see Manno.

Leo, H., 1 2 1-3.

Longfellow, H. W., 146.

Lumsden, H. W., 79-82.

MacDowall, M. W., 130-2.

Morley, H., 146.

Morris, W., 104-9.

Palmer, B., 147.

Ragozin, Z. A., 138-40.

Robinson, W. C, 146.

Sandras, G. S., 123.

Schaldemose, F., 41-5.

Simons, L., 109-11.

Simrock, K., 59-63.

Smith, C. S., 146.

Steineck, H., 112-4.

Sweet, H., 147.

Thomson, C, 143-5.

Thorkelin, G. J., 15-21.

Thorpe, B., 49-55.

Tinker, C. B., 118-20.

Tolman, A. H., 147.

Turner, S., 9-15.

Wackerbarth, A. D., 45-9.

Wagner, W., 130-2.

Wickberg, R., 90, 91.

von Wolzogen, H., 68-71.

Wyatt, A. J., 104-9.

Zinsser, G., 126-8.

YALE STUDIES IN ENGLISH.

Albert S. Cook, Editor.

I. The Foreign Sources of Modern English Versification.

Charlton M. Lewis. Ph.D. $0.50.

II. ^Ifric : A New Study of his Life and Writings. CarolineLouisa White, Ph.D. $1.50.

III. The Life of St. CeciUa, from MS. Ashmole 43 and MS.Cotton Tiberius E. VII, with Introduction, Variants, andGlossary. Bertha Ellen Lovewell, Ph.D. $1.00.

IV. Dryden's Dramatic Theory and Practice. Margaret Sher-wood, Ph.D. $0.50.

V. Studies in Jonson's Comedy. Elisabeth Woodbridge,Ph.D. $0.50.

VI. A Glossary of the West Saxon Gospels, Latin-West Saxonand West Saxon-Latin. Mattie Anstice Harris, Ph.D.

$1.50.

VII. Andreas : The Legend of St. Andrew, translated from the

Old English, with an Introduction. Robert KilburnRoot. $0.50.

VIII. The Classical Mythology of Milton's English Poems.Charles Grosvenor Osgood, Ph.D. $1.00.

IX. A Guide to the Middle English Metrical Romances dealing

with English and Germanic Legends, and with the Cycles

of Charlemagne and of Arthur. Anna Hunt Billings,

Ph.D. $1.50.

X. The Earliest Lives of Dante, translated from the Italian of

Giovanni Boccaccio and Lionardo Bruni Aretino. JamesRobinson Smith. $0.75.

XI. A Study in Epic Development. Irene T. Myers, Ph.D.

$1.00.

XII. The Short Story. Henry Seidel Canby. $0.30.

XIII. King Alfred's Old English Version of St. Augustine's

Soliloquies, edited with Introduction, Notes, and Glossary.

Henry Lee Hargrove, Ph.D. $1.00.

XIV. The Phonology of the Northumbrian Gloss of St. Matthew.

Emily Howard Foley, Ph.D. $0.00.

XV. Essays on the Study and Use of Poetry by Plutarch and

Basil the Great, translated from the Greek, with an Intro-

duction. Frederick M. Padelford, Ph.D. (In prepara-

tion.) $0.00.

XVI. The Translations of Beowulf: A Critical Bibliography.

Chauncey B. Tinker, Ph.D. $0.75.

t.t' '̂^-

"^ ^ ..-rflv^J- r^ .,^

#;^ -%*#;-:>: i:'*^:*

H^:« *«r#:

archive.org · 2009. 11. 17. · PREFACE Thefollowingpagesaredesignedtogiveahistorical...

Documents

Transcript of archive.org · 2009. 11. 17. · PREFACE Thefollowingpagesaredesignedtogiveahistorical...